Mischief Makers
by Diezi
Summary: AU - (After Avengers): Odin wants Loki to join S.H.I.E.L.D. Cami Barton wants to redeem him and herself. Unfortunately, Loki might be too far gone to be saved. Rated M for sexual situations and violence in later chapters. Loki/OC, Natasha/Clint
1. Chapter 1

Mischief Makers – Chapter One:

Cami matched Natasha's hurried, angry strides the best she could. The people and equipment that filled the corridors hardly seemed to hinder the graceful Black Widow.

"What were you thinking?" Natasha asked. "How do you expect Clint to not find out about this?"

"I didn't hurt anything. I just wanted to see the jet in action," Cami said, trying to get Natasha to understand. Sometimes the two women could connect on certain issues- like Cami applying to become a field agent. This time, however, Natasha was just too frustrated with her string of recent antics.

"An important mission was delayed because they had to fly you back here to the helicarrier. You could have just asked Clint to take you up if the jet was so interesting."

"No I couldn't," Cami insisted. "He'd just tell me no."

"Then give him a reason to say yes," Natasha said, stopping a few paces down the corridor from the conference room. "Your brother doesn't trust you because you constantly get into trouble."

Cami looked at her shoes. "You'll help smooth things over with Director Fury right?"

Black Widow sighed then frowned. "What choice have I got? Fury sends you away and Clint will go too. He's needed."

Once again staring into the beautiful eyes of Natasha Romanoff, Cami asked softly and hopefully, "You need him?"

Natasha hesitated then clarified. "WE need him. S.H.I.E.L.D and the Avengers need him."

"I thought that was what you meant," Cami said sadly.

"Hey," Natasha said, lightly touching Cami's shoulder, "after this meeting, we can hang out for a little while. OK?"

Cami tried to smile at her generosity. Natasha understood her so much better than her brother ever would. "What's the meeting about?"

"I don't know. Looks like there are a lot of people in there."

"Move aside please!" a voice bellowed from the end of the corridor.

The women turned in that direction in time to see people dodging out of the way of two tall figures clad in more colorful and decorative clothing than the norm around S.H.I.E.L.D. Cami recognized Thor, though she'd only seen him from a distance on a few occasions. His wardrobe was kind of hard to miss.

"Loki," Natasha muttered, looking and sounding in complete disbelief.

Cami turned her attention to the other man. He was dressed in dark green, black and gold with long dark hair, slicked back from his forehead. His clothing seemed to weigh heavily on his tall, slender frame. His features were dull and pale. His gaze was cast downward, hardly paying heed to his surroundings. Cami might have guessed that he was comatose if his long legs hadn't been propelling his body forward.

"That's Loki? Really?" Cami asked, though she spoke only because she didn't have a proper response to the situation. She might not have been in the service of S.H.I.E.L.D. for that long, but everyone knew of the events two years ago in New York. Loki was enemy number one.

Natasha's gaze on Loki was venomous as the Asgardians passed. "I've got to find out what is going on," she said, following after them into the conference room.

Cami wanted to know too, so she tagged along. Either no one noticed her enter the room on Natasha's heels, or they were too preoccupied with the tense atmosphere to care.

The room was full of higher-ranking agents, some seated at the large circular table, most standing. Thor and Loki continued to the front of the room where the director, Nick Fury was standing.

"Quiet down… and shut that door," Fury ordered.

Cami froze, mostly hiding behind Natasha, who was close to the same height and body size as her. She held her breath as someone passed her to close the door. Still her presence was not noted.

"Thor has requested this meeting. I know there is a lot of animosity in this room at the moment, but let's hear what he has to say."

"Thank you," Thor said. He did not step forward to take the spot relinquished by Fury. Instead he chose to remain at Loki's side. "The citizens of Asgard are sympathetic to the horrific crimes Loki has committed against the peoples of Earth and the Jotun of the Odenheim. As part of his punishment, he has spent two years in the Odenheim helping the frost giants to rebuild their kingdom."

"I'm surprised they didn't kill him," Nick Fury said candidly.

"Or that he didn't escape," Clint Barton interjected from a seat near the front of the room.

"Loki was stripped of his powers at his trial," Thor explained. "He is mortal."

"Then how did he survive in the Odenheim for two years?" Fury pressed.

"My father made an agreement with the Jotun. Loki would remain to serve out his sentence only as long as they didn't try to end his life."

"Two years hardly makes up for mass murder," Clint said, showing little restraint from his anger.

"His sentence was supposed to be much longer," Thor said, taking a side glance at Loki. "The Jotun did not keep their promise."

Cami found herself staring at Loki and his expressionless eyes. Even as Thor admitted to the group that the Jotun had tried to kill his adopted brother, Loki didn't flinch, frown or show any other sign that he was actually taking in this conversation.

After a brief pause, Thor continued, "Odin wants Loki to be useful and to learn the virtues of serving others. Therefore, he requests that Loki be allowed to join S.H.I.E.L.D."

Shock kept most of the room silent, but not Marie Hill. Cami saw Marie push forward from the back of a group; her features were tight with rage. "Joining S.H.I.E.L.D. is a privilege! What has Loki done to deserve such an honor?"

"If he's really mortal we can just throw him in jail," Clint interjected. "Let him live out his life in a cell."

"You have rehabilitated criminals before," Thor countered. "People who have taken the lives of others and still been allowed to redeem themselves."

He might have been speaking in general, but Cami knew Thor was referring to Clint and Natasha, the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents that he knew more than any others. Both had done questionable things in their pasts, hurt people and regretted it. She studied Loki, searching for anything that resembled an emotion, but he was an empty void. In fact, the longer she stared at Loki, the more Cami realized that she was thinking about herself and how terrible it felt when no one believed in her or stood at her side when she made mistakes. She'd been there a couple of times at least.

Fury put up his hand, silencing the awakening noise in the room again. "Thor, this is Loki the God of Mischief that we're talking about. You can't guarantee that he's safe, no matter what rehabilitation he's already been through," Fury said simply.

Cami leaned forward, speaking into Natasha's ear. "We should give him a chance," she uttered.

"No way," Natasha said, turning on the spot. She spoke in whispers, "You don't fully understand the situation and you shouldn't even be in here."

Cami discovered the words only as she spoke them since her thoughts were chaotic. "I know, but if you and Clint offered to supervise him, I think Fury would agree."

"No," Natasha said again, shaking her head and causing her crimson curls to bounce a bit. This time she was much louder, instantly drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

"Is there a problem?" The director asked. Then he spotted Cami. "Miss Barton," Fury said with a scowl, "I don't believe you were invited to this meeting."

Cami fought the urge to retreat from the stares around her and Fury's disapproval. With some trepidation she stepped out where everyone could see her. She chose to focus on the director instead of the group at large. "Can I make a suggestion?" she asked.

"I don't think Director Fury is interested in what you have to say right now," Clint said, rising from his chair. He started toward her as quickly as the crowd would allow.

Cami spoke quickly. "I think we should give him a chance. People can change if their environment changes and they have a strong support system. Loki is super smart; we could use that to our advantage."

Clint had reached her by then. He took Cami firmly by the arm and escorted her from the room. Once in the corridor, he glared at her in silence for several moments before speaking. "Haven't you been in enough trouble this week?"

"I want to help."

"He doesn't deserve your help."

"Why?"

"He's a monster."

"Let him prove that to me himself. I think you are all too blinded by what he's done in the past."

"We are not going to continue this conversation," Clint said with exasperation.

"Come on, where would Nat be if you hadn't given her this second chance with S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

Clint wasn't really hearing what she said. "Go to your quarters. We still need to talk about you stowing away on that jet this morning. Don't think I'm going to let that slide."

Cami wanted to come back with some sort of a retort, but she was too emotional and Clint moved quickly to rejoin the meeting, shutting her out.

"Damnit!" she cursed and stormed off to find something that she could hit repeatedly without getting in more trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

Mischief Makers – Chapter Two:

Cami had filled her plate with delicious foods from the mess hall in the hopes that she would be tempted to eat. Unfortunately, her appetite had been affected by the events earlier in the day that lingered in her thoughts, making her angry and even a bit depressed. It didn't help that everywhere she went people were either looking at her too much or not looking at all. It appeared that word had spread of her suggestion in the meeting and her view of Loki's fate was in the extreme minority.

She knew Loki was currently in a cell in the detention center. At some point he was going to be transferred to a maximum security prison to await trial for war crimes. No one had mentioned to her when that would be. Guilty or not, Cami figured he was the one person on the ship that felt remotely like she did right now.

Taking her plate with her, Cami headed down to the detention center where four armed guards blocked the entrance.

"Can he have visitors?" she asked the steely-faced guards.

"Not without Director Fury's authorization," the closest man named Hopper informed her.

"I see. We got any other prisoners in there right now?"

"No."

"You guys heard that I stowed away on a jet this morning and caused all kinds of trouble, right?"

None of them responded to this question.

"I really want a chance to talk to Loki," she confessed. "Can't you guys put me in there for a few hours for bad behavior? I'd have to serve some jail time for the same offense if this was the air force."

"Don't be crazy. Clint will kick our asses if we let you anywhere near this wacko," Hopper said with a frown.

"Yes, he would," the familiar voice of Natasha Romanoff said from behind Cami. The crimson-haired beauty walked up and gave the situation a quick once over. "He's not going anywhere boys. Why don't you go get some dinner."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Ma'am" Hopper said.

"It's OK. I'll keep an eye on him. Give us an hour."

Cami was watching this exchange with wide eyes. She didn't know why Natasha was helping her out instead of lecturing her, but she knew better than to speak up now and possibly jinx her chances.

"Alright," Hopper gave in, handing Natasha the keys to the cells and waiving his guys off. He momentarily looked at the food on the plate Cami carried. "Looks like they're serving the chicken parmesan tonight. I'm going to get me some of that."

"Thank you," Cami said to the men as they departed, though she knew they weren't doing this for her.

Natasha was looking at her with a worried expression. "What do you think you're going to get from him?"

"I don't know. I guess part of me thinks I understand him and some of what he's been going through."

"I think you're feeling a little singled out lately and under appreciated. Do you want someone to empathize with you? Cause I doubt you'll get that from Loki.

Cami didn't know what she wanted. Having Natasha throw out ideas for her motives didn't solidify her thoughts any. Really, she felt like she was running mostly on a form of instinct.

"Can I see him?" she asked politely.

With a sigh, Natasha unlocked the door. "Stay away from the bars. He's probably still stronger and faster than the average human. And remember... he's all about deception."

Loki was stretched out on his bunk with his eyes closed as Cami approached. His Asgardian fashions had been swapped out for a dull gray prisoner jumpsuit, which was far from flattering on him. Considering the scene, the God of Mischief didn't look so extraordinary.

There was a table and chairs in the center of the room with the cells lining the outer walls. Cami considered pulling a chair closer to Loki's cell, but ultimately decided to take a seat on the floor instead.

She put down her plate, noticing that his dinner tray was resting on the floor just inside his cell. Everything on the tray was either white, brown or yellow. While the food was probably nutritionally sound, it looked utterly unappetizing. It didn't appear that Loki had touched the tray at all.

Loki remained as he was, giving no acknowledgement of her presence. He could have been sleeping, but Cami didn't think so. He was ignoring her.

"Um..." she said, searching for just the right words as apprehension rose in her chest. There were so many things she could say, like 'I'm sorry the Jotun tried to kill you. I bet that hurt coming from your own people' or 'I understand what it's like to not quite fit in', but none of that would matter to him coming from her. He didn't know her at all.

"I'm Cami," she said simply then fell silent.

Several seconds passed. Loki just laid there, the slight rise and fall of his chest the only indication that he was alive.

Cami wondered if this had been a stupid idea. She didn't know what to say to him and he wasn't responding anyway. He had no reason to take an interest in her considering the burden of his own situation.

"I brought you some food," she tried again, doubting herself more with every word. "These are some of my favorites." Cami slowly slid the plate close enough to the bars that he should be able to reach out for it, if he wanted. "Sorry it's already getting a little cold."

Loki remained unchanged and the silence grew heavier as time passed. Cami endured it as long as she could then pushed to her feet to find Natasha, Clint and Thor standing just outside the open doorway. Clint looked pretty angry as he and Natasha talked quietly.

Thor came into the room, casually eyeing the surroundings. Finally his gaze fell on Cami. "Barton says you are his sister. I am Thor."

Cami decided a simple nod was a sufficient response.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to visit with my brother in private."

Cami looked back at Loki. "He doesn't want to see you right now," she said, softly voicing the thought that came to her.

Thor's tone was urgent as he asked, "Did he say this? Did Loki speak to you?"

"He didn't have to."

Thor was looking at Cami curiously and it made her feel a little self conscious. It definitely felt like time to leave. "I'll come see you tomorrow, Loki," she promised then met up with Clint and Natasha in the hallway.

"Don't be mad at Natasha," Cami said immediately when Clint looked at her. "She was just helping me out. She stayed to make sure I didn't do anything stupid."

Clint was pretty wound up. The tension radiated from him and it was a wonder to Cami that he managed to not explode at her. After a few deep breaths, he admitted, "I don't even know what to say to you right now."

"Maybe we can talk tomorrow," Cami suggested, barely meeting his eyes.

He thought about it. "Fine. 7:30 for breakfast."

Cami agreed then fled the area.


	3. Chapter 3

Mischief Makers – Chapter Three:

There was a lot of stuff they could talk about when the Bartons met up in the mess hall the next morning for breakfast. Surprisingly, Clint was in a pretty good mood and didn't jump right into any particular topic as they cut into their waffles and sipped coffee. It was Cami who finally said something.

"Loki ignored me."

Clint finished chewing then took a few moments longer to respond. "Thor says he's kinda been like that for a while now. He had some pretty severe injuries from the Jotun and had to return to Asgard to recover. He wouldn't talk to Thor, Odin or anyone else the whole time."

"Do you think he's pretending?"

"Probably. What do you think?"

"I think he feels alone. Like he doesn't belong anywhere."

"He's burned every bridge he had, Cami. He chose to do that himself."

Cami continued to eat while she contemplated.

"You sure you want to see him again?" Clint asked in a guarded tone a little while later.

"He expects us to be horrible to him," Cami said. "Some forgiveness might be just the shot in the arm he needs to start new."

"It's unfair for me to flat out say you're wrong."

"Then don't."

Clint searched her features. He was visibly moved by her conviction. "If you make it to all your training sessions on time today, I'll request that Fury give you visitor clearance for Loki."

Cami's whole face lit up and she leapt from her seat to come around and give Clint the strongest hug she could muster. "I will be so good today," she promised, grinning like a mad person.

He pushed Cami's long hair back from her face. "I guess forgiveness works pretty well on you too."

"Yeah, it does," she agreed.

Cami returned to her seat. It was tempting to keep talking, but things had gone pretty well thus far and it seemed dumb to tempt the fates.

Natasha came by to get Clint about 8:00. Calm and collected as usual, Natasha didn't seem to hold any grudges against Cami for getting her in hot water with Clint. Cami knew those two had been good friends for too long to let occasional disagreements come between them.

It took valiant strides for Cami to keep her promise about the training sessions. Some topics she really liked- computers and gadgetry being highest on her list. The hand-to-hand fighting and firing guns were the classes that she dreaded going to the most, mainly because she didn't show much aptitude for them- unlike her brother.

Finally at the end of the day she ran off to find Clint hoping he had been able to keep up his end of their bargain. It just so happened that he was in a meeting with the director and when they realized Cami was standing outside the door, she was immediately asked to join them.

Fury cut right to the chase. "Clint says you want a free pass to Loki."

Cami shifted uncomfortably under the director's scrutiny. "Did he explain why?"

"Somewhat, but I am very concerned with your preoccupation with him. Loki is not a good person, no matter what you might think."

"We're not giving him anything good to live up to," Cami said. "Everyone here has expectations for how I should behave; and though I might fall short sometimes, at least I know those goals are in place."

"I don't think positive guidance will work in this case. Loki was never playing with a full deck," Fury said.

"We won't know if we don't try. Odin seems to think there is something redeemable in him," Cami responded, knowing that she was grasping for straws because she couldn't seem to make them understand how important this was becoming to her.

"Are you sure you're the best person to undertake his rehabilitation?" Fury asked, still looking very skeptical.

Cami bit at her lip, looking between them with some uncertainty. "Well, actually... I was kind of hoping that Natasha and Clint could supervise and let me be more of a supportive element."

"You don't think Captain Rogers or Thor should be involved- just for safety sake?"

Her head was shaking before she managed to put her thoughts to words. "I don't think so. Captain Rogers is a glorified boy scout and Thor is the privileged older sibling. Loki isn't going to relate to either of them. In fact, they would just make things worse."

Director Fury asked Clint, "How does this sound to you?"

"Like we're giving him that second chance."

"Yeah." Fury feigned a scowl. "We must be crazy and the Council is going to be pissed."

"And most of the crew," Clint added.

Fury activated his com link and ordered Natasha to his office. "Let's talk more about this plan, because I'll pull the plug in a heartbeat if this doesn't go off as expected."

With the exhilaration also came fear. Cami had said a lot, but not proved a word of her theories. She was all too aware that there was a lot riding on this- especially Loki's future.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to angeltears666, LindyLovesLoki and Panduh17 for their kind reviews. I appreciate your support.

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Four:

After the meeting with Fury, there were details to prepare, including telling some key personnel the gist of the plan. Lucky for Cami, she didn't have to talk to anyone other than Loki.

Cami knew it was pretty late, but she'd made a promise to come back and see Loki and she meant to keep that promise. Getting past the guards into the detention center wasn't nearly as difficult with Director Fury's authorization. The room was still completely lit and she could see Loki flattened out on his bed as before. Only, this time, he really was asleep. That is, until the guards practically slammed the main door shut behind Cami and woke him.

Loki drew in a deep breath, turning his head in Cami's direction and slowly opening his eyes. His hand came up to cover his face and block the harsh white lights glaring down on him.

"It's really late," Cami said, letting her apology come through in her tone. "It didn't even occur to me that you'd be sleeping. I just..."

His hand moved. His electric green eyes were actually looking right at her now.

Trying not to lose her cool, Cami continued, "I wanted to let you know that we're moving you out of here in the morning. I'll be here... unless you don't want me to be."

He continued to stare for several long moments before turning away from her onto his side. Cami decided not to take that as some sort of insult. The guy was tired.

"Good night," she said softly, leaving the detention center for the long trek to her own small quarters.

At breakfast the next morning, Cami could hardly eat. Clint and Natasha didn't seem to share Cami's nervous stomach. They ate and talked over plans while Cami fretted and fidgeted in her seat.

"People are giving me evil looks," she complained to them. "I take it everyone knows what we're planning to do."

"Since when do you care what other people think of you?" Natasha asked. "Thoughts like that sure don't seem to keep you out of trouble."

Cami frowned at her pancakes that were soaking through with butter and maple syrup and couldn't make herself try them. "What's Loki having for breakfast?" she wondered out loud, which drew very strange looks from the present company.

"Just eat," Clint said sternly. "I don't know how much patience I'll have today."

"Long night?" Natasha asked.

"Yeah," Clint said.

Cami said, "Me too."

The redhead nodded knowingly. "Things are about to get really tense around here."

"I hear Steve and Tony are coming on board today," Clint confided to them. "You know we're not going to be able to keep them away - no matter what Fury says."

Cami interrupted the brief silence that followed this news to say, "Thanks guys for helping with this. I know you really don't want to."

There was more silence and an exchange of looks.

"I just hope this doesn't blow up in our faces," Natasha said softly.

"Well," Clint surmised, "he can get with the program or he can go to jail for the rest of his life. Those are the only options."

Clint noticed that their trio was picking up curious strays as they moved through the helicarrier to the detention center. When they reached the main door, he asked Hopper and his guys to clear the hallway for them. "We don't need an audience," Clint insisted. "He'll be on parade once we hit the main hall to the infirmary anyway."

When they entered the room, Loki was sitting upright on the bed, his back pushed up against the wall, head hanging forward, and legs crossed in front of him. His hair, no longer slicked back, was hanging down into his eyes.

"Looks like Loki didn't like the pancakes either, Cami," Natasha said with amusement as she indicated the untouched tray on the floor of the cell.

Cami couldn't smile. She was a ball of nerves as she stepped up to the bars, far closer than she'd ever ventured, and addressed Loki. "Ready to go?"

His eyes shifted to peek out at her through a gap in his long bangs. She thought there was an emotion visible in those gorgeous green orbs, but she wasn't able to decipher it before it flitted away.

Clint joined her at the bars, slipping the key into the lock. "We've got quite a few things to accomplish today," he explained in a flat, no-nonsense tone. "First we are going to escort you to the infirmary for a complete physical. Cami is going to lead the way. We," Clint indicated Natasha and himself, "will be with you for every step between here and there."

"You cause any problems," Natasha added quickly, "and we'll drag your ass right back here to stay."

Loki drew his hand through his hair, uncovering his features which actually looked a little apprehensive before going dull and unemotional again.

Cami moved back to the main door, giving Clint room to open the cell. Natasha took a position on Loki's other side as he stood and stepped out. The plan was not to cuff him. It was going to be a huge leap of faith on their parts.

Clint, Natasha and Loki formed a tight group with Hopper's crew as they started the longest march of Cami's life past a sea of resentful faces and angry mutterings. She tried not to think about any of it- only how this wasn't about her and they just needed to reach their destination.

The infirmary was cleared of patients and most of the medical staff. Only one doctor, a nurse and a few of the stronger orderlies were standing by as their group entered.

"Hopper, have your guys take position outside the door," Clint said, giving instructions to keep the gawkers away.

Cami pointed toward the nearest medical bed. "Let the doctor look you over."

Loki seated himself on the bed, but kept his head down. His face was once again hidden behind the curtain of dark locks.

Cami pulled a stool out of the corner, preparing to take a seat too when the doctor said, "This examination is going to require the patient to disrobe."

Clint immediately turned to her. "OK. Out you go."

With an instant frown and a bit of a pout, Cami responded, "I didn't hear Loki say that he wanted me to leave."

"Funny, cause I didn't hear him say that you could stay either," Clint said with an edge to his voice.

"Hey," Natasha stepped between the Bartons, "this is not a big deal. Us girls will leave and send in more of the guys."

"Maybe you two could walk over to supply and pick him up some clothes," Clint suggested.

Natasha said that wasn't a problem and shooed Cami out of the infirmary ahead of her. "Patience," she reminded him softly before slipping out herself.

They had been walking for a bit before it occurred to Cami that they had to be taking the longest route possible to the supply room. She stopped in her tracks, looking around. "What the hell, Nat? We're a mile away from where we need to be."

"I know," Natasha said, continuing to walk, "but it won't do us any good to rush back and have to wait in the hall. Clint will call if he needs us."

Cami caught up with her, wanting the secure feeling Natasha's proximity could provide as they passed through hallways that were growing more crowded with people who wanted to glare at her.

"Did Fury have to promise that Loki wouldn't be executed for his crimes?" Cami asked, not sure what brought the question to mind.

"Yeah, that was the deal," Natasha confirmed.

"Bet that angered a lot of people."

Natasha nodded.

"You ever think about getting married?" Cami asked next, causing Natasha to balk.

"How does your mind jump from Loki to me getting married" She chuckled lightly. "No wonder you can't concentrate in classes."

"I know; it's an enigma," Cami joked back. "But do you think you'll ever want to settle down with someone- leave the spy life behind?"

"I'm sure anything is possible if and when the time is right. Why? You think I'm planning to run off or something?"

"It would be pretty rough for me if you weren't around," Cami admitted. "Clint would miss you a ton, too."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Natasha said, managing to hang on to her smile even as the emotion in her eyes cooled a bit. "He's a popular guy with lots of friends."

"We've only got one of you, though."

"Believe me, I'm not making any plans to go anywhere just yet," Natasha said, offering a wider, bigger grin to solidify her point.

Cami wasn't trying to be so cheesy and sentimental, but it still sounded that way. So, she shrugged and gave up on yet another failed attempt to get Natasha talking about Clint.

Finally reaching the supply room, Cami held the articles of dark clothing as Natasha pulled them off the stacks."I'm not sure on some of these sizes. So, we'll bring extras." They'd both agreed that they would get Loki the uniform that field agents wore rather than the styles seen on the bridge crew or the suits that face men donned to deal with the public.

"I think Loki will look good in black," Cami said, juggling the pile in her arms.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say that," Natasha muttered, grabbing three pairs of shoes of consecutive sizes and marking them on the checkout log. "Besides, just about everyone looks good in black."

"That's what I meant," Cami tried to insist.

"Right," Natasha teased. "Sure you did."

Back at the infirmary a short time later, the clothes were handed through the doorway, but the women had to wait outside. Clint stepped out though to talk to them.

"Loki's not leaving the infirmary today. He's got some pretty nasty scars on him," Clint said, actually sounding concerned. "The doc says he is malnourished and dehydrated so he'll have to have some nutritional supplements. He's on an I.V. right now to replenish his fluid levels and get some vitamins into his system."

"Sounds like he wasn't eating much at home in Asgard either," Cami surmised. Her own empty stomach was aching and she couldn't imagine not filling it with something for days on end.

"How's his behavior?" Natasha asked with a frown.

"The same. Compliant, but pretty much uncommunicative."

"Did the doctor say if there is any physical reason that he isn't talking?" Cami asked. "The Jotun didn't cut out his tongue or something gross like that?"

"Nah. Doc says he should be able to talk if and when he wants to," Clint said.

"Nick wants him to see the therapist, but what good will that do if he won't talk to her?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know," Clint said with building irritation. "Other than what we've planned out with Fury, I'm making it up as I go."

"Please can I come in?" Cami asked, nearly pleading. With all the bad news from the doctor, she couldn't just walk away and hope to accomplish anything of value with the rest of her day.

Clint was considering the request when Natasha reached out to tap his arm. He glanced at her, then turned to see what she was looking at. Steve Rogers and Thor were walking together down the main corridor towards the infirmary.

"Wonderful," Cami said, her tone contradictory to her choice of word. "We're not letting either of them in, right?"

"We'll do what we can," Natasha promised.

"If push comes to shove," Clint said, "we won't be able to keep them out."

Though she felt she had a vested interest in the coming confrontation, Cami chose to enter the infirmary instead, leaving the project supervisors to manage the 'undesirables'.

Loki was now in a more secluded back area of the infirmary, though still under armed guard. He had changed into hospital pajamas and was laying in bed with various medical paraphernalia hooked up to him. As she stepped up to his bedside, Cami could better see some of the scars that his long-sleeved jumpsuit had hidden. They varied in color, size, shape and age from what she could determine. Clint must have chosen not to mention to her that the Jotun had hurt Loki more than once.

He was back to not looking at her, staring off into some other place. She was tempted to reach out and touch him- smooth his blanket or hair, but Cami didn't feel she had the right. She dropped into the bedside chair, wondering if she should talk to him or just let him be.

"Guess this isn't much different than the cell," she muttered, eyeing the guards outside the doorway. She stole another look in Loki's direction, trying to read his eyes. He chose to give her nothing, which actually hurt enough to surprise her.

Clint appeared in the doorway. "Crisis averted. You might want to thank Nat when you get the chance."

"I will."

"So, are you planning to do any training today?"

Cami exaggerated a look of displeasure. "Maybe I can just study my tech manuals in the infirmary," she suggested.

Clint did not look satisfied. "I suppose, but the areas you really need to work on cannot be practiced in here."

"Range isn't for another hour," she reminded him.

"You haven't eaten anything today," Clint countered, "and since you were brilliant enough to make me a supervisor for this project, you kinda have to follow my orders now or face real jail time."

"Rats, foiled by my own fiendish plot," Cami said, climbing back out of the chair and crossing to the door. The exchange left them both smiling- even if Cami realized she was being thrown out again.

"Try to focus on your classes," Clint advised. "You'll never make it out into the field if you can't handle yourself and a gun in combat situations. Let us worry about Loki."

"Three classes, then I'm coming right back," she promised.

"Fine, as long as you aren't late for any of them."

Cami had the sneaky suspicion that Fury and Clint were using this situation to work some rehabilitation magic on her as well. She didn't know how to feel about that- even if deep down it had to be the truth. "Agreed," she said, taking one last look at Loki then heading out to find something to eat before she had to report to the range.


	5. Chapter 5

_Thanks to Caraglar and featherstone5725 for their reviews. I appreciate the encouragement._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Five:

Natasha was waiting for Cami when she returned to the infirmary after classes. "We need to talk," she said seriously, pulling her further away from the room where they were keeping Loki.

After being in classes for hours, this was not the tone Cami wanted to return to. She really just wanted to see Loki. "What's going on?"

"Some of the preliminary tests have come back. The doctor is very worried. He is threatening to put in a feeding tube if Loki doesn't eat soon. Do you want to try talking to him?"

Cami was stunned at first, but realized that they were just beginning to understand Loki's extreme circumstances. She bit at her lip and tried to think of what was best to do.

"Is Thor still here?"

Caught off guard by the question, Natasha stammered, "Uh... yeah. I think so." She activated her com line. "This is Agent Romanoff; I need a current location on Thor." She got an immediate response. "He's in the mess hall," she told Cami

"Perfect. Hopefully, I'll be right back." Cami left the infirmary and broke into a run, weaving in and out of obstacles in her path to the mess hall. Upon arrival, she took a few moments to catch her breath before actually stepping into the large room.

As always, Thor was easy to spot. He was sitting at a table on the far side of the room with Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. Cami walked over, coming to a stop at the end of their table and waited for a break in the conversation.

"Thor," she said loud enough to get his attention above the many voices around them. "Can I talk to you?"

Thor put down his drink and looked up at her, instantly frowning in displeasure at her presence.

"Well, well, if it isn't Baby Barton," Tony said in a condescending tone. He turned in his seat to look her over. "I hear you're calling the shots on who gets to see Loki. Who nominated you to be his warden?"

Cami wasn't in the mood to deal with Tony right then. "Excuse me, Mr. Stark. I'm here to talk to Thor."

"Well, he's mad at you. So... you'll have to deal with me first."

With her emotions already unsettled, it didn't take much for her to get angry. "You can just kiss my ass then. Cause what I have to ask him is urgent."

"Kiss your ass, huh?" Tony leaned out from the table to catch a glimpse of her butt. "It's quite nice, but I really don't think Clint would approve."

"Shut up," Cami said to Tony and turned back to Thor. "Loki is starving himself to death. Is there a food that he's never turned down? A childhood favorite or something I can bribe him with?"

Thor studied her for several long moments while his friends sat in respectful silence. "Gravlaks," he finally said, smiling as some memory struck him. "He asked for it all the time when we were boys."

"So... what's gravlaks?" Cami asked, having never heard of it before.

"It is raw salmon cured with salt, sugar and dill, but it takes days to cure properly," Thor said with a shake of his head.

That wasn't what Cami wanted to hear either. "OK. Then how about some smoked salmon. We have that here sometimes. The kitchen staff should be able to cook some up."

"It might work," Thor agreed.

Tony suddenly withdrew a specialized tablet from his pocket. "You have an idea, Stark?" Steve asked, leaning closer to Tony as he typed away.

"Gravlaks is a traditional Norwegian viking-like food," Tony said, summarizing the info on the screen, then continuing to type. "And... you can get it from three different restaurants nearby."

Cami was surprised by Tony's sudden urge to help. "Um, thanks."

"I'm willing to call in the order AND pick it up myself," Tony said, "if...Thor gets to see his brother."

Of course there had to be a catch.

"I'm not trying to be mean," Cami said. "Loki has strong resentment towards Thor. He's just not ready to bury the hatchet."

"He's not even talking," Steve said. "How do you know anything about what he's thinking or feeling?"

That was a question that Cami just couldn't answer. She shook her head. "I... I need to go. Thanks for the information."

"I'll get the gravlaks," Thor said immediately, before she could move. His features were sad, yet determined. "I'll bring it to you there. You won't have to let me in."

She was relieved by his offer. "Thank you."

Tony rose from his seat, speaking to Thor. "Since I know where to go and I doubt you have any of the local currency, I guess this is a team effort. Let's fly."

Cami watched Thor and Tony walk out of the mess hall. "Sorry to bust up the party," she said sincerely to Steve.

He said, "That's alright." Then added, "You did manage to convince Nick Fury to let you try this your way. So, I have to respect that you think you're doing the right thing."

"Thanks... I guess." Cami didn't have the time to debate the issues with him. She excused herself and left the mess hall. She really wanted to see Loki and hoped that he would be coherent enough for a serious conversation.

Loki was asleep when Cami entered his room, so she took the bedside chair and studied his features. She could see it better now, the signs of death slowly consuming him. He was even paler and losing what little fat he had in his features. She wondered how she could have missed these signs before. Surely they didn't appear just today.

"Did you find Thor?" Natasha asked softly from the doorway.

Cami was startled by the sound.

"Sorry," Natasha said. "You were pretty engrossed, huh?"

"Yeah," Cami admitted. "Thor is running an errand for me. We can expect him to come by with something special for Loki."

"OK. Good."

"How long has he been asleep?"

"Off and on all day, really."

"Did the IV help?"

"Some- until he pulled it out."

That wasn't good to hear. He was becoming less compliant.

"Where's Clint?" Cami asked.

"There was an emergency. Top secret stuff," Natasha said. "He had to fly out with some of his guys. Probably be back in the morning."

Cami returned to looking at Loki, feeling a swell of sadness rise up in her chest. "I think he wants to die."

"Maybe he does or just wants someone to care enough to force him to live."

Natasha's words soaked into Cami's brain and she pondered them in silence.

"The doctor's going to place his feeding tube tomorrow," Natasha told her.

"Unless I get him to eat."

"Yeah."

Natasha walked out, closing the door behind her.

Cami sat and watched him sleep, letting time slip from her notice until eventually he stirred, taking a deep breath to fill his lungs, and opening his eyes. Cami stood and stepped forward to grip the support rail on the bed.

Instinctually, his eyes shifted to her to see what she was up to.

"Hi," she said, pausing only a moment to allow his lack of response. "I need to talk to you."

Loki sighed and looked away, settling his gaze instead on Natasha who re-entered the room, carrying a covered tray. "We've been keeping this cool for when he woke up," she said and placed it on the side table close to them.

"Thanks," Cami said. "Good timing."

"Do you want me to stay?" Natasha asked Cami.

"No, thanks."

Natasha closed the door behind her again, stepping far enough away from the room to not be seen through the window.

"I need to apologize to you," she said, shifting her gaze to his blankets as soon as she realized that he was content to stare at the wall. "I really only had one important assignment to fulfill and that was to tell you what was happening. I realized as I sat here watching you sleep, that I did a terrible job. I should have been more clear that we weren't moving you from the cell to go to a prison somewhere."

Cami couldn't stop herself from looking up to catch his reaction to this news. As she suspected, he was looking at her, but there was confusion in his eyes.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is recruiting you," she clarified in a firm tone. "You're getting a second chance."

His eyes narrowed with distrust and his emerging frown deepened quickly.

"I don't know how to prove it to you since you don't know me from any other person, but I need you to cooperate with the doctor."

Loki stared at her, no longer shifting his gaze away or letting his mind drift. He was one hundred percent focused on her, but still disbelieving. His look challenged and accused as well as dared her to say the wrong thing.

Cami didn't like his defiant stare when she was trying to be cordial and apologetic. She exploded, using the nastiest, confrontational tone she'd ever tried on someone. "Tomorrow the doctor is going to ram a camera down your throat, cut a hole in your gut and start feeding you through a tube," she said. "We're trying to help you avoid that unpleasantness. Hell, we want to get you out of here all together and put that clever mind of yours to work for us."

Threats mixed with flattery didn't cause much change in his demeanor. The way he stared, it was like he was drinking her in with his eyes.

"Well, fine. Whatever." She pulled the cover off the tray, revealing the cured salmon filets. "Here's the gravlaks that we went through the trouble to get for you cause we heard you liked it. Why would I bother if I didn't want to keep you around?"

Loki hardly looked at the fish on the tray.

"I guess I might as well let them sit here and rot along with you."

Maybe she thought it would make a difference, but she took the cover for the tray with her as she stormed out of the room. She didn't go far, just found a distant corner where Loki couldn't see her from his bed.

"Loud much?" Natasha gently teased her, looking up from some file she was studying.

"Just blowing off steam," Cami said, leaning back into the corner with a pout. "I'm obviously in over my head."

"Beating your head against a rock gets annoying after a while, huh? Thor did offer to force feed him if we wanted."

"No. We apply force of any kind and he'll just get more stubborn," Cami decided. "Maybe you should have a try talking at him."

Natasha chuckled, apparently finding Cami's choice of words amusing. "You know what I could use right now?" she asked with a hint of a naughty grin.

Cami couldn't even begin to guess. "What?"

"A chocolate milkshake, and a burger with fries."

"That does sound great, but shouldn't we be here keeping an eye on him?"

"The guards will be here. We'll just slip away for a few minutes and bring it all back. Maybe he'll get really annoyed if we eat in front of him."

"And why would I want him to get really annoyed?"

"I don't know, having you scream at him couldn't have been that enjoyable," Natasha said

Cami frowned. "I should go apologize to him again."

"There's only so much you can apologize for. He certainly isn't offering any. Just go keep him company then. I'll pick up some food."

Cami crossed the infirmary and let herself back into Loki's room. As she walked silently back to the bedside chair, she placed the cover in her hand back on the tray of gravlaks. She saw that Loki was watching her, but his attention shifted quickly to the guards that pulled closer to monitor them while Natasha was away.

"Backup, just in case you try to hurt me;" Cami explained; "or to protect you if any of the crew comes around looking for revenge."

The contradiction wasn't mind-boggling really, but Loki seemed to think on it for a while.

Cami sat down. She laid her head back and closed her eyes, mulling over her troubles. She wished Clint was there with her instead of being off on some secret mission. He wasn't always great with words, but he had a way of seeing things that others often missed. She craved his insight into this mess.

A bit later, a touch on her shoulder brought Cami out of a light slumber. Natasha leaned close to speak to her. "Don't be mad; I ran into him... and the director said I should let him in."

Craning her head to see past Natasha and her curls, Cami finally caught sight of who she was talking about. "Oh... no way," Cami said, feeling immediate dread in her chest. She pushed up from the chair, moving to stand close to the bed and Loki.

Loki's eyes betrayed his fear, even if he was managing to control his features.

"How did he get here? He's supposed to be halfway across the world or something," Cami asked Natasha, though she kept her gaze mostly on the man standing in the doorway.

"He was. Stark..."

"That bastard!" Cami exclaimed. "Loki is in no condition..."

"Miss Barton," Bruce Banner interrupted, "please calm down. I'm not here to harm Loki." He moved into the room, but kept a respectful distance.

"Right, and Tony Stark flew you all the way here to do what exactly? Attend the Avengers' Reunion?"

"Huh; that's funny, but no," Banner said. "This is really about Thor. He's genuinely worried about his brother and you keep telling him that he has to stay away. I'm a doctor. Stark wants me to examine Loki and make sure that everything that can be, is getting done."

Cami didn't like it, but she didn't know what to say either. How did you argue with the Hulk when it was stupid to get him angry?

"Why don't we eat while he examines Loki," Natasha suggested softly. "We'll be right out here."

"No."

"Cami..."

"It's OK, Natasha," Bruce said. "She can help."

Bruce approached the bed, making eye contact with Loki who looked on the verge of bolting. The doctor used a calm, reassuring voice. "I skimmed through your medical file and saw the pictures Dr. Lloyd took of your scars. Can I look at them?"

After a brief pause, Loki drew his arms out from under the blankets. Bruce pulled a pair of eyeglasses out from his coat, putting them on before leaning in to take a good look. His gaze shifted between the scarred arms and the perfect skin on Loki's hands. Then he turned his examination to Loki's face and neck, going so far as to reach out to lift his long hair to reveal the pale, smooth skin underneath.

"You must have had scars everywhere at some point," Bruce said. "How did you get rid of them on your face, neck and hands?"

There was a long pause while Loki tried very hard to look away from Bruce, but didn't manage to do it.

"He's not really talking right now," Cami uttered softly. "I've been wondering the same thing, though."

"Is he eating yet?" Bruce asked, eyeing the tray.

Cami was sad to admit that he wasn't.

"Dr. Lloyd wants to fit him with a feeding tube," Banner said.

"I told him that. He doesn't seem to care."

Turning his attention back to Loki, Bruce spoke very poignantly. "You must know that you're killing yourself. Really, I don't care and neither do a lot of people. What I do think you should realize is that you are being given a rare opportunity here. Cami stuck her neck out for you and convinced Nick Fury to give you a shot at something good instead of wasting away in a prison. He doesn't do that sort of thing for everyone."

Natasha also chimed in from the doorway. "She's been your biggest advocate and defender."

Cami felt her face grow hot with embarrassment as they spoke about her to Loki. She didn't expect him to care, but deep down, she wanted him to.

It was also painful to admit to herself that Banner's words were just as valid in regards to her own situation. Fury had given her a shot despite her history, and how had she chosen to repay him?

_Don't go there,_ she told herself. _One strong emotion at a time._

"Let's just... leave him alone," she said, barely managing an audible whisper. She felt too embarrassed to look at him now. It had been one hell of a day and she was quickly growing exhausted from her efforts.

Natasha pulled Cami into the other room to join the guards in eating pizza, burgers, fries and milkshakes while they started up a game of poker with the spare change they had in their pockets. Cami ate and played half-heartedly, fully aware that Dr. Banner had taken two full plates of food back into Loki's room and shut the door behind him.

"Don't worry. I think Bruce has finally got his attention."

"I feel dumb," Cami admitted, hardly caring that the guards heard this confession too.

"Why?"

"I actually believed I could convince him on my own. How stupid is that? I'm a nobody going up against the God of Mischief."

The guards were waiting for her to take her turn so Cami decided to fold and let them have her few coins in the pot. She couldn't focus well enough to try to pass off a pair of fours as a possibly great hand.

"You look tired. There are plenty of beds here if you don't want to walk back to your quarters," Natasha suggested.

After weighing the options, Cami changed into a spare pair of infirmary pajamas and climbed into the bed furthest from the poker game and the lights. She had high hopes for the next day, mainly because she couldn't take much more bad news.


	6. Chapter 6

_Thanks to tr109, WebOfSmiles, Lift the Wings and featherstone5725 for their reviews of Chapter Five. _

_It means a lot that you took thetime to share your appreciation and ideas with me._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Six:

Cami pulled herself out of bed early the next morning. The temptation to spend some time with Loki was squelched by the presence of Dr. Banner dozing in the bedside chair. So, Cami gathered her things and left the infirmary.

It was a Saturday, which meant Cami had gymnastics class. She shocked her instructor by being the first student to arrive in the gym for once.

"Won't happen again," Cami promised, not wanting to make a big deal over something that she hadn't done on purpose. She'd been perfectly oblivious to the time as she went about her morning. She'd wandered a bit as she walked to class and had slowly come to realize that she was in a contemplative funk.

After class, Cami showered in the locker room, thinking the hot water would lift her spirits, but she felt almost claustrophobic in her misery. She chose to shun the infirmary or any of her usual hangouts around the helicarrier because she needed to be alone. If someone came looking for her, she wanted it to be damn hard for them to actually find her, which meant she had to avoid as many of the security cameras on the ship as possible - not an easy feat.

Cami made her way outside and to the stern of the ship, carefully climbing down a service ladder to perch on a small platform that the crewman used while doing repairs. They were currently at sea and miles from everything. Cami put in her earbuds, using music to drown out most of the noise from the ship and just stared out into the sparkling, sun-touched water. The breeze off the ocean was cool on her skin. It smelled and even tasted salty. She closed her eyes, enjoying the increasing warmth of the day and letting her mind drift.

A while later, the platform shook gently from the impact of a new arrival. Discouraged by the discovery of her hiding spot, Cami soon realized that it was Steve. She pulled out her earbuds. "Can I help you?" she asked, showing her surprise.

Steve activated his com line. "This is Captain Rogers, I found Miss Barton. We'll be in presently."

"Is the whole ship out looking for me?" Cami asked in such a way to show that she thought it was a ridiculous notion.

"Almost. I just happened to catch a glimpse of you through that little window," he said, turning to point behind them. "You missed the team meeting this morning."

"I don't recall getting a summons to meet with a team, let alone one I don't belong to."

Steve carefully lowered himself to sit beside her. With both of them there, the platform wouldn't hold anyone else. "We met up in the infirmary because we assumed you'd show up sooner or later."

Cami shrugged.

Steve looked out over the water, taking deliberate deep breaths to fill his lungs with the fresh air. He waited, measuring the moment, before saying, "Bruce was a strategic move on our part to scare Loki straight. We didn't mean to push you out of the picture."

Cami hadn't even pinpointed what her problem had been this morning. Now it made sense. She'd been feeling left out, cast aside because she hadn't been able to get through to Loki on her own.

"Nice of you to say so. I thought I knew what to do for him, but... I was wrong."

"We've all been wrong to some degree. Loki is a complex guy."

"And stubborn," Cami added.

Steve chuckled. "He certainly is that."

"Did the team make a decision then?" she asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. We're going to get out of your way. Bruce was pretty convincing. He pointed out that we were all motivated to help out for Thor's sake. Nick, Natasha and Clint were doing it for you. You, on the other hand, were doing it for Loki, which makes you the right person to support him."

"It would be nice if Loki thought so too."

"I think he'll come around soon enough. Trust me."

Steve and Tony departed the helicarrier that same afternoon. Bruce left the next morning for God-knows-where, leaving Thor to say his goodbyes to Loki. He kept his remarks to his brother brief and seemingly heartfelt. Then he shook hands with Clint, hugged Natasha and winked at Cami on his way out of the infirmary to return to Asgard.

Only then did Loki really seem to relax.

* * *

Over the next ten days Cami tried her best to stick to her rigorous class schedule and yet spend plenty of time with Loki. Sometimes they watched tv or movies, played cards or chess, or would sit quietly and read. (Turns out that Loki was growing fond of Tolkien.) No matter what the activity, Loki was increasingly tolerant of her presence.

Since Bruce's pep talk, Loki was eating at every meal, even if it was only a little bit. Cami had breakfast and dinner with Loki in the infirmary every day, and at least one team member would join Loki for lunch.

Dr. Lloyd was very pleased with Loki's progress - even if he had his fits of defiance here and there and still showed no interest in talking. "He's doing much better," Dr. Lloyd told the team one morning. "I think it's time to release him so he can get some proper exercise and fresh air."

This led to a whole new problem- where to put him? There weren't available quarters close enough to Clint or Natasha that could be considered adequate now that his armed detail was being reassigned.

"Maybe we could take over one of the old V.I.P. suites on Level Three," Natasha suggested. "They haven't renovated all of them into labs and storage."

"You mean, we'd all move down there?" Clint clarified.

"Sure. The suites have multiple bedrooms, a living area and bathrooms. We'd be set."

Cami really liked the idea. Not only would it keep her close to Loki, but it would give Clint and Natasha some down time together too. They were both trying to keep up with their other obligations while supervising this project. She doubted she could manage half of what they did and still remain sane.

Cami knew that Clint had reservations, but he took the idea to Fury anyway, pointing out that someone was going to have to move either way. The director found merit in the idea- at least enough to look into the possibility.

That same afternoon, Loki walked out of the infirmary for the first time in his S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and joined the team for an inspection of the suite. Since it was on the third level of the helicarrier and a bit out of the way of normal crew traffic, the options for increasing security were promising.

"I could design the new security system," Cami offered. "Agent Pratt has been very impressed with my work in his programming class."

"I don't know," Clint said, swiping the card he'd picked up from the security hub to unlock the main suite door. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

The team shuffled into the suite, which was much bigger than Cami had imagined it would be. There was a long entry hall into the main living room, which was spacious and elegantly furnished compared to the standard agent's quarters. Mainly decorated in black and white, the room had two oversized couches, a rocker recliner, thick carpeting, a full bar, and a fairly impressive entertainment center for how long ago the suite had been constructed.

"Looks like the cleaning crew has already been through," Clint said, looking uneasy.

"Wow," Natasha said, cocking an eyebrow. "I'd heard stories, but... "

"This is seriously sweet," Cami said. She broke away from the others to peek into the bedrooms and bathrooms that connected to the living room on the west and east sides.

"Six bedrooms, two bathrooms, a bar..." Clint verbalized as he took in their surroundings. "Maybe this is a bit too extravagant for a team barracks."

"No..." Cami objected, coming out of one of the bedrooms. "We each get our own bedroom, then we use the extra rooms for research, studies, storage, that sort of thing."

"Yeah," Natasha agreed, exaggerating her enthusiasm to match Cami's. "We can have team briefings here in front of a big screen television while we sip cocktails."

Clint looked at her with agitation. _A little help here, _his eyes seemed to say.

She smirked back at him playfully before turning to Loki who stood in the doorway of the bedroom closest to the one where Cami was lingering.

"What do you think, Loki?"

Loki turned, his long dark hair framing his pale features. He was pondering her question as he took another good look around him. His eyes looked brighter than they had since Thor brought him to the helicarrier about two weeks before.

"I think he likes it," Natasha concluded.

"Great," Clint said in a flat, hollow tone. "Of course, compared to the infirmary, this is a palace."

Cami frowned at him. "What's the matter? I've been working really hard - not skipping classes, being on time for most of them and pulling in higher marks. You and Nat are busy most days and sometimes nights to do all your stuff. Maybe this way we'll get to see each other some more."

"Everyone in S.H.I.E.L.D. works hard," Clint insisted. "We have more space here than twenty crew quarters combined."

Cami replied, "They don't use this place anymore. We're not inconveniencing anyone."

"That's not the point and you know it."

The following, heavy silence was broken by Natasha, who was trying to keep a calm demeanor. "Cami, why don't you and Loki give us some time to discuss this."

Cami glared at Clint, not wanting to be dismissed like she was a child with no vote.

Loki moved toward the entry, but stopped to wait for Cami to join him.

"Go on," Natasha ordered softly, yet with enough firmness to show that she wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"I do get it," Cami said, marching angrily for the door. "You haven't forgiven either of us. Have you?" She didn't wait to hear Clint's response and since Loki was right behind her, she doubted if he heard Clint either.

Cami showed Loki around some of the ship's public areas while she tried not to think about the argument. Loki paid attention to most of what she said and pointed out, but it became clear after a while that he was getting tired physically and from all the unwanted attention he drew from the crew.

"Sorry to drag you around everywhere," Cami told him when they reached her quarters. "Sometimes I just have to be active to work through the rage."

Loki pulled off his lightweight jacket, exposing his scarred arms and wearily sat on the edge of her bed while Cami kicked off her shoes and crawled across the mattress to stretch out. "They better make up their minds quick or you'll be staying with me tonight."

Loki must have realized there was no sexual connotation to what she was saying, for he hardly looked in her direction. Instead, he started to take in the room, which was small and designed for functionality. His gaze soon fell on the shelf above her desk where framed pictures were on display next to her meager book collection. He stood, moving closer to inspect the photographs.

"That first picture is my parents," Cami told him. "They died when Clint was in high school. I was just a little kid. So, I don't remember them that much." Though there had been a twinge of emotion in her voice, Cami went on to the next picture with no further comment on the Bartons.

"The next picture is me with the Murphys. They were my last foster family. They had me for about five years. I still write to them sometimes. They are pretty nice."

Loki reached out and took the picture of the Murphys off the shelf for closer study. He turned the frame toward Cami, using his finger to trace out the piggy tails her younger self wore in the picture.

Noting the amusement in his eyes, Cami said, "Hey! Be nice. I was only like thirteen or something." She did chuckle a little though at his expression.

He put the Murphys back on the shelf and took down the last frame, passing it immediately to Cami. She held it in her hands for several moments before she spoke. "The Murphys took this picture of me and Clint on the day he came to take me out of foster care. I didn't know him hardly at all," Cami admitted. "He was stiff and stern from all his military training and had already decided I needed the supervision of a private school." Her voice grew sadder as she added, "He didn't want me. He just knew he had to take care of me."

Loki took the picture from her and placed it carefully back in its spot on the shelf before sitting in the chair at her desk. He'd just settled, resting his head in his hands, when Cami reached over and touched his knee.

"Here, take the bed," she insisted, swinging her legs off and sitting on the edge.

He looked at her with reluctance.

"You haven't been out of the hospital half a day yet. You need to rest a while. Then we'll go get some dinner in the mess hall."

Loki held his ground, frowning and shaking his head.

Cami couldn't tell if her suggestion had offended him or if he didn't want to inconvenience her.

"Please?" she begged. "The bed's clean. I don't have cooties or anything."

From the immediate change in his expression, Cami guessed that the God of Mischief didn't know what she meant by cooties.

Cami reached out again and took a hold of his hand. "Come here," she said gently, giving his hand a tug. "We'll share- just for a quick nap."

Considering his reluctance a few seconds earlier, Cami was surprised when he actually moved forward, slipping around her to lie down on the mattress with his back against the wall. By the time Cami got situated on her side in the remaining space, he was already asleep on her pillow and breathing softly.


	7. Chapter 7

_Thanks to everyone who has reviewed in the last month. Your kind words and encouragement have helped me through the recent death of my mother, who supported my writing even when I wasn't very good. She was a great mom._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Seven:

Cami hadn't slept much at all, sharing her tiny bed with Loki, but she hadn't minded because it gave her the chance to relax and think. It had been about four hours since they'd left Clint and Natasha to talk in the suite. So, when there was a firm knock on her door, Cami expected to find her brother or Nat or both on the other side. It wasn't.

The man at her door was dressed in operations blue. She didn't know him or what position he held on the helicarrier. "Trainee Barton," the man said to her, "I have been ordered to deliver these communicators to you." He held out two ear devices. "Agent Barton requires yours and Loki's attention on line five."

Cami took the coms, thanked him politely and watched him head down the corridor before returning to Loki who was slowly sitting up on the bed and running his hands through his unruly hair.

"Something is going on," Cami told Loki. She handed him one of the devices, making sure he was watching her as she powered it up, set it to channel five and slipped it into place on her ear. He mimicked her exactly then waited for what was going to happen.

With a tap, Cami opened the com line. "Trainee Barton calling in ," she said, noting how unsettled her voice sounded.

"Cami, it's Clint," her brother's voice responded. "We have a situation... and Fury thinks you two can help. Is Loki on?"

"Yes," Cami said feeling her stomach knot up a bit. "Where are you?"

"D.C. Nat and I went ahead to start gathering intel. I need you two on the flight deck right away to catch a jet out here to us."

"Which jet?"

"Not sure yet. Agent Hopper will fly you out. Look for him."

"OK. What should we bring?"

"Hopper will have some files for you and a hand-held computer. Study what's there then call us back for an update. We'll equip the team once we have a plan in place."

"I'm kinda freaked out right now," Cami admitted to him. "What's happening?"

"Sorry, kiddo." Clint said, his voice softening a bit. "Possible kidnapping and we don't have any time to waste. Hold on to those coms. Remember to call us. Clint out." The line went quiet.

Loki slipped off the bed, retrieved his jacket and pulled it on.

Cami didn't move at all aside from her eyes shifting from Loki to the picture of herself with Clint. It should have been the greatest moment of her life- a mission, an honest to goodness mission. Instead of feeling elated, her mind was cluttering with doubts. She hadn't been cleared for field duty. Why would Fury think she could help with a kidnapping? Clint hadn't said that HE thought she could help.

Loki lightly touched Cami's shoulder, forcing her back into a moment of clarity. His urgent expression reinforced that they had to get moving.

Cami pulled her own jacket from her closet, expecting the flight deck to be cool. Then they left her quarters, taking the shortest route possible to get them up top. Cami matched Loki's pace. The rest had helped rejuvenate him some, but they weren't exactly racing along.

Hopper was waiting at the top of the main lift with a jeep to drive them to the far side of the helicarrier. Only as they drove up next to it did Cami realize that they were taking S.H.I.E.L.D.'s newest and smallest transport jet. The 5-80 Streak was a fast and highly maneuverable aircraft with stealth capabilities. After a full year of flight testing, the Streak was only cleared for active use within the last few months.

Cami followed Hopper up the boarding ramp. She tried to take in everything about the ship's design. "This is so cool," she said.

"Yep. We need to get there fast and this baby became available," Hopper said with a smile. He gestured to the gentleman in the co-pilot seat who was running through the preflight checklist. "This is Agent Dale."

After a nod to Dale, Cami moved over to where Loki was sitting. He was already strapped in and engrossed in a case file. She took the seat across from him where an identical file and a case for a handheld computer were resting. She briefly skimmed the first page of the file, too distracted by the movement of the jet as it slipped into position and took off to get much insight.

"How long will it take us to get to D.C?" she asked Hopper and Dale.

"About ninety minutes," Hopper said. "Half the time of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s next fastest jet. Should barely give you time to do your reading."

Cami caught the hint. She turned her attention back to the file and tried to focus.

Apparently, the nanny of some influential politician had gone missing and been tracked to a private men's club whose owner, Victor Drago, was suspected of shady dealings. Authorities had been after the guy for blackmail, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, torture and murder, but had yet to make any of the charges stick.

The file was vague, obviously thrown together in a hurry. She studied the picture of the missing girl, Anna Morroz. She was young and innocent looking enough, but Cami knew better than some people just how easily a good girl could get involved in bad things.

Activating her com line, Cami said, "Trainee Barton to Agent Romanoff."

"Romanoff here," Natasha responded almost immediately.

"We've looked over the files. Clint said you'd have an update."

"Yeah; Anna's car was found a few blocks from Drago's club. We talked to a friend of hers who told us she was working days as a nanny, but nights at the club to help settle some debts. Someone at the club called her in yesterday on her day off and she hasn't been seen since. We've got the place staked out."

"How's the plan coming?" Cami asked. Really, she wanted to know how she and Loki fit into this operation.

"We're still talking this through with Fury," she admitted. "This club is for private members only. It's going to take some work to get any of us inside without drawing the wrong kind of attention."

"Sorry to interrupt," Hopper's voice broke in on the line. "We're landing in a minute."

"Clint is on his way. He'll take them off your hands, Hopper. Thanks for the help."

"My pleasure, Ma'am."

"Romanoff out."

The 5-80 Streak landed at a private strip on government property. Clint pulled up in a dark sedan as Cami and Loki disembarked.

"We got to ride in the 5-80!" Cami yelled out to her brother.

"Pretty cool," Clint admitted.

"Definitely."

"Have you had dinner?" Clint asked Cami, waving her toward the front passenger seat.

"No."

"OK. We'll call for some room service when we get to the hotel. Nat is keeping an eye on our club."

Soon they arrived at the hotel across the street from Drago's club, coming in from the back entrance and ascending to their floor in a service elevator to avoid the public. It wasn't a super classy hotel, but at least everything looked clean and well-maintained.

Natasha was seated at the window as Clint let them into the room. "I ordered chinese," she muttered, not turning or lowering the binoculars she was using. "You still like sesame chicken, Cami?"

"Yes," Cami said.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. sent us a new data file," Clint said, checking the computer terminal they had set up at the desk.

Loki moved past Cami to take the chair at the desk. He immediately started reading the new file as Clint pulled it up.

Cami put her filefolder and computer on the closest bed and went to look out the window with Natasha. "That place looks expensive," she commented, eyeing the types of cars that were parked around Drago's club.

"Probably anyone with enough money can get an invitation to the club, but... we have a problem," Clint said from behind Cami. "The owner, Victor Drago... he knows me."

"How?" Cami asked.

"I did a few jobs for a friend of his back in the day. Then about three years ago I led a team that busted up a party he was attending. Drago knows full well I'm not in the crime business anymore. This is a gentleman's fetish club. The members are all men of great wealth and influence. If I can't take lead, Loki will have to do it. Fury agrees."

Cami frowned, preparing to say something when Natasha asked, "How can he lead when he's not talking?"

"Play him off as being foreign and eccentric," Clint suggested. "You can talk for him, Nat."

Cami thought that was a brilliant idea. She interjected, "You can both be Russian."

Loki continued to examine the file. Cami was watching his eyes skim the material as he moved from page to page. She thought that he had to be speed reading.

"Any chance Loki has a photographic memory?" she asked out loud.

Everyone else looked at Loki. Within moments he finished the material and opened an attachment that was full of pictures.

"Loki," Natasha asked in disbelief, "did you read that whole file already?"

His brilliant green eyes shifted between the others, studying their expressions. Their interest seemed to surprise him.

"You did!" Cami accused with a grin. "You certainly don't read Tolkien like that. I would have noticed."

"Photographic memory is not the same as speed reading," Clint was quick to point out. "Besides, no sane person would speed read through Tolkien."

The tiniest grin emerged at the corners of Loki's mouth at Clint's last comment.

Cami was curious what Loki was looking at. So, she moved over to him, peeking over his shoulder and started studying the photographs, which were mainly shots of people coming and going from the club. The men tended to wear business suits and were usually covering their faces as they dove into their luxury cars or limos.

The club's girls appeared to only use the back entrance to the establishment. Their outfits were all tight and revealing. Leather attire was common along with the occasional mask, whip or even studded collar. In some cases, their clothes could be described more as costumes.

"So, am I on surveillance?" Cami asked. They had yet to say why she was here.

Clint's expression steeled and his gaze shifted from Cami to Natasha.

"Actually," Natasha said, carefully reading Clint's features, "we need you on the inside. We just don't have time to set up a solid alias and background for Loki. So... he's going to have to be impressive and flashy all on his own to get Drago's attention."

Cami felt her stomach tightening again as she got the gist. Exotic dancing was just one of the antics that eventually got Cami expelled from private school. She hadn't needed the money really, though it had helped with her gadget obsession. Overall, as her therapist had decided, and she somewhat agreed, Cami had just been acting out against her brother for being absent in her life for so long then pulling her from a loving foster family just to send her away to school.

She pointed to the pictures on the screen. "I haven't worn these sorts of clothes in a while."

"We know. This isn't really about your dancing," Nat assured her. "Drago buys and sells young women. How better to gain his trust than have Loki show up with his own private pet?"

Clint was frowning deeply. His issues with this assignment were evident.

Cami said, "OK. I can do it."

"You're not field combat ready," Clint was quick to point out. "In a place like this, the patrons are going to be handsy and Drago has security too."

"I'll be fine," Cami tried to reassure him and herself. Even Loki was looking concerned. "We're just gathering intel, right?"

"Once we're in there, the situation can change quickly," Natasha said seriously.

"If we happen to see Anna," Cami said, using the missing girl's name, "are we going to take her out of there with us?

"That's a call best made at the time, I think" Clint said.

Room service arrived soon afterward and Cami forced herself to eat sesame chicken and rice despite her nervous stomach.

Loki tried at least a bite of everything, but stayed in front of the computer, reading every update that came in from headquarters. Clint pulled up a chair and skimmed the news too.

"We've got a lot to do," Natasha said, "and we're running out of time to make our play tonight."

Clint reported, "Hill has arranged the re-opening of a few places for us. You should take these two and get the clothes you'll need. I'll keep an eye on the camera feeds."

Natasha agreed and quickly herded Loki and Cami out of the hotel to the dark sedan. Their first stop was a store for formal business attire where a small team of tailors altered an expensive suit for Loki as well as a suit coat and slacks for Natasha.

Their next stop was an adult shop that sold sexy outfits and accessories. Natasha picked out a provocative top to go with her business clothes while Cami searched for her own outfit. She was browsing the racks with trepidation when she realized that Loki had stepped away. She found him in the back room with a somewhat confused, bewildered expression.

Cami couldn't help it. She started laughing and walked into the room to stand at his side. "Asgard doesn't have sex stores, huh?"

Loki only looked at her for a moment. He wasn't quite blushing. Cami doubted he was naive by any means. She figured he had just been ill-prepared for what he'd stumbled upon.

"See anything you'd like?"

Loki didn't respond, though his eyes continued to scan the shelves.

"You know, Nat's birthday is coming up soon." Cami walked along the shelves, knowing that she really didn't want to get Nat a toy. She wanted Natasha to be with Clint, but how could she wrap that dream up as a gift?

Loki moved to the left, pointing out a small box to Cami as she approached. It was just a box of condoms, but what Cami thought was so interesting was that it was a brand with a golden bow and arrow as its logo. She smiled at Loki, feeling a bit astonished that he seemed to be thinking along the same lines as her.

"Perfect, let's get some of those," she said, taking a box.

"Hey!" Natasha called from somewhere in the outer store. "Are we ready to go?"

Cami shoved the condoms and a twenty into Loki's hand. "Please get these for me," she said to him. "I have to pick my outfit and keep Natasha busy."

Loki nodded, slipping the box behind him as they stepped out of the back room together. He casually headed to the cashier while Cami intercepted Natasha in the lingerie.

"What have you been doing?" Natasha asked her.

"I was teasing Loki about sex toys," Cami said with a grin. "He almost blushed."

"Oh good. Great to know you are taking his education and integration into human society so seriously," Nat chided. "Please choose something to wear."

"I don't know which one to get," Cami said with a pout. "I usually buy sexy stuff with a particular guy in mind."

"Black is probably too safe a color. Maybe you should go with something red. It's more daring," Natasha suggested.

Suddenly Loki was in their midst again. He looked at the red options that Natasha was holding up to Cami as they looked into a full length mirror. After a few moments, he shook his head and moved away to return shortly with a cotton candy pink ensemble.

Natasha took it from Loki and held it up in front of Cami. "Nice," she said. "What do you think, Cami?"

The thing was completely see-through with the exception of the bra and panties. It also had little pink bows on it. "Kinda kinky. Clint is going to freak."

"Yeah," Natasha agreed. "We just won't tell him that Loki picked it out."

Cami laughed. "Good idea."

"Come on, let's go."

After a quick visit at a jewelry store, there was one more stop to get the girls' hair and makeup done before the trio returned to the hotel. In an attempt to make Cami appear younger, her makeup was done in more natural colors and her hair had been curled then pulled up into long piggy tails that Loki found amusing.

"I don't know what's so funny about piggy tails," Cami said, "but you'd better be able to focus in there."

Loki stifled his grin and nodded to assure her that he would be fine.

"I have news," Clint reported upon their return. "Hill's team got Loki an invite to the club. He's going in as Ivan Lukin, a man of incredible personal wealth. The club is expecting him and two guests for one o'clock. What Agent Hill couldn't get was a definite promise to meet with Drago."

Natasha had moved back to the window. She turned to Clint. "All right. We'll just have to get his attention on our own. Let's get ready."


	8. Chapter 8

_Thanks to featherstone5725, PromiseMeCourage, Ellize Avalon, sv4me, and UKNOWWHO71 for their reviews of Chapter Seven. _

_I'm sorry to make you wait so long for an update. I must have rewritten this chapter over five times at least._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Eight:

Cami was the last one to use the bathroom to get dressed before leaving for the club. She knew she looked good because months of training had strengthened and slimmed her body enough to make a noticeable difference from even her dancing days. It was too bad that her confidence in her sexy appearance didn't make her feel any more prepared for the mission ahead or even facing her overprotective brother.

"Cami, you have to come out sometime," Natasha told her through the bathroom door. "I can only distract your brother for so long."

"He's going to be mad," Cami whined. "I'm really not in the mood to be yelled at tonight."

"Clint, promise her you won't yell."

"Impossible. I'm pretty sure it's in my job description to make her life miserable," Clint teased from somewhere beyond where Natasha stood at the door.

"Ignore him, honey. I'm sure you look fantastic."

With trepidation, Cami stepped out of the bathroom and tried not to fidget as Clint looked her over.

"Uh, well..." he began with wide eyes, "I guess that ends the argument about you carrying any concealed weapons on this mission."

Natasha chuckled as she moved over to skim the latest report on the computer from over Loki's shoulder.

"Is that really the whole thing? You didn't lose any pieces on the way back from the store did you?" Clint pressed.

"Very funny," Cami scowled at him. He did look a bit stressed about the outfit, but at least he hadn't had a conniption. Natasha must have been working her magic on him to minimize the fallout.

"Try being her supervisor instead of her brother," Natasha replied to his teasing comments. "Cami looks really good and you're making her feel self conscious about it."

"Alright. I'm sorry," Clint relented.

Cami's gaze shifted to Loki, who was lingering at the computer, and wished he would contribute something to make her feel better since Clint wasn't going to be much help.

Loki must have sensed her gaze on him for he turned and also took a few moments to look her over with truly appreciative eyes. Then he smiled and winked at her.

_Now that's more like it, _Cami thought, returning the smile.

"I see that," Clint said as a light-hearted warning from his perch at the window. He was connecting the hardware that would allow him to monitor the cameras at Drago's once they had tapped into the system. "And I'll be watching you all night."

Cami met Loki's gaze, cocked an eyebrow and grinned. "Kinky, bro - really kinky." She wasn't going to let him ruin this for her. The team was going to a freaking sex club. She was going to get herself some Loki kisses if it was the last thing she did. Why not? This opportunity wasn't likely to arise again.

"Let's not keep pushing the buttons right now," Natasha advised the Bartons. "No doubt it will be a... memorable night, but we do have a job to do here."

Natasha ran through the basics of their cover one more time. Loki was going to have to behave more like his old self - confident and arrogant. Cami had to be submissive and remember to take her cues from Loki. Nat admitted that she would have quite a balancing act since she had to be the dominant speaker, yet still subordinate to Loki.

"I get that we're looking for Anna Morroz. So, explain to me why we need to get Drago's attention?" Cami asked.

"We have no way of knowing what Drago has done with Anna. So, we'll need access to Drago's personal files on his computer to find her. To get to his computer, we need to get into his office," Clint said.

Natasha added, "The easiest way to get into the office is to get an invitation."

"Let me guess," Cami said, "getting in is the easy part. Getting out is hard."

Natasha cracked a smile. "See, you're getting the hang of things already."

"If Drago's so hardcore, isn't he going to know better than to keep records? I mean, the feds are watching him on a pretty regular basis, right? What if we get into the computer and can't find anything?"

"There's never a way to predict how a mission will go, Cami," Natasha said. "We just do our jobs."

Clint said, "Cami, give me the order again."

"You're quizzing me? Really?"

"Yes. Tell me the order."

Cami sighed. "Enter the club. Access the cameras. Search for the girl. If we don't find her... we get into the office. Neutralize Drago. Upload data to S.H.I.E.L.D. Regroup and retreat. Did I miss anything?"

"Nope. That was perfect." Clint looked at his watch. "You guys gotta go." He grabbed Cami's uniform jacket off the bed. He wrapped it around her and herded the trio toward the door.

Cami took the chance to grab Clint in a hug. She wasn't going to admit that she was nervous and probably even a little scared, but this way it felt like they were parting on good terms. Clint might have felt uncomfortable, but he was receptive enough to not break the embrace until she pulled back first.

Then Clint leaned close to Natasha and whispered something that only she heard.

"You know I will," was Natasha's soft reply and she bumped Clint playfully with her shoulder. "We'll do great."

It would have been a good moment for some words of encouragement, but instead he told them, "Remember the cameras or I'll be blind."

"I'll get it done," Natasha said with a determined nod in his direction. She had quickly switched to her game face.

The trio was picked up by an agent named Brandon Shale who worked for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s resource coordinator in the D.C. area. For the mission, Shale had acquired a black limousine to transport them to the club. After the introductions, he slipped Natasha and Loki each a fold of cash and falsified passports. He also had a decorative black hand bag for Natasha where the device she needed to tap into the club's cameras had been hidden along with some gadgets disguised as common accessories usually found in a woman's purse.

Loki and Cami didn't get any neat toys. Cami thought that was a tad bit unfair, but knew she wasn't a real field operative yet anyway.

Agent Shale pulled out into traffic and took a wide berth around the neighborhood to come back from the airport road. Their limo arrived in front of Drago's club a few minutes shy of one o'clock in the morning.

Members of the club's security walked up to the limo and spoke with Shale. It was a quick conversation to verify the identities of the new arrivals before he was allowed to exit the vehicle to open the passenger door.

Loki stepped out first, holding out his hand to help Natasha. Then he offered Cami his hand.

Slipping out of her uniform jacket, making sure to stuff it out of sight of the door, Cami accepted his aid. She was glad that her outfit managed to cover the essentials during the awkward exit. Then she was tucked up against his side as they walked in together.

The interior decor of the club was currently influenced by the tales of Arabia. The scattering of booths had colorful round couches with oversized pillows. The air was heavy with the smell of incense.

"Charming," Nat uttered, her com transmitting her sarcastic tone to the whole team through their open line.

"Pretty bad?" Clint asked.

"I'll get you access to the cameras, then you can see for yourself."

The patrons had their own areas where groups of scantily-dressed girls pampered and tended to their needs. In fact, various levels of hanky panky were on display for all to see. Several of the patrons had noted the trio's arrival, peeking up from their own amusements to get a glimpse of them.

Their escort led them to an available booth on the second level near the center where it overlooked the large room. He waived a server over to take their order before walking away.

Nat asked for two vodkas, letting her natural Russian accent come through. She took a seat on the end of the rounded couch, leaning back into the soft cushions. Loki declined the drink menu offered by the server with a shake of his head before taking a seat. Then Cami eased onto a pillow near his feet, looking out through the balcony railing at the people below.

Nat waited until the server walked away, then pulled a compact from her purse, using the mirror to check her makeup and its internal sensor to sweep their immediate area for listening devices. After a few moments, Nat seemed satisfied. "We're clear," Natasha whispered, slipping the compact back into the purse.

"I parked where I have some visibility of the back," Agent Shale reported.

"Good work," Clint said. Then he asked, "Nat, how are the numbers?"

She leaned over as if she was speaking quietly to Loki. "Roughly twenty patrons, maybe forty girls working the front, eight security guys in view, some cleverly disguised cameras... haven't seen the girl."

_Damn, _Cami thought. She'd barely noted the number of stripper poles throughout the room, let alone the vitals statics that Natasha had collected. Perhaps she'd been a bit distracted by the costumes the girls wore and the dancers currently at the poles. She found herself critiquing their routines and realizing that some of them were pretty good.

"I doubt he'd keep her here," Agent Shale said. "Considering his reputation, I think we'll be lucky to find her dead body if anything at all."

"We'd prefer to be a little more optimistic than that, Brandon," Clint responded.

Nat's vodkas arrived. She tried a sip, smiled and offered the second glass to Loki. He took a taste, nodded approvingly, then finished it in one swallow. "Bring more of those," Natasha told the server, "and juice... for the girl."

"So, we just sit here?" Cami asked softly. Surely they had to stand out amid the debauchery of their fellow patrons. The lack of privacy was astounding, but the clientele seemed used to the arrangements.

"Waiting is often a big part of a mission," Clint said.

Loki took hold of Cami's closest piggy tail giving it a slight tug. Cami turned and looked up at him, watching as he let her hair slip through his fingers and fall upon his thigh. He wore a bored expression, but it didn't deter from his sex-appeal in the least. Cami thought she could stare at him all night, dressed in his modern style black on black suit. She allowed his touch to calm her nerves, though she couldn't help thinking of the curls he was straightening.

More drinks arrived shortly. Cami had a sip of juice, but would have preferred some vodka to help settle her nerves because she was thinking a little bit too hard over what Agent Shale had said about finding Anna dead.

"I bet the girls' bathroom is in the back somewhere," Natasha said after finishing her first drink. "I'll take a walk... get a feel for what's behind the scenes and see if I can find a good spot to tap into the cameras."

Cami was stealing peeks at the booths around and below theirs as Natasha stood and walked away. Though several patrons had noticed Cami and occasionally looked her way, she didn't find any of them nearly as attractive as Loki. Flirting with them would have served no real purpose other than to give herself a distraction, which she figured wasn't good 'pet' behavior.

Almost immediately two girls in harem outfits came over to offer them fresh fruits and sweet sauces for dipping. Loki waived them into the booth, allowing them to snuggle up on both sides and feed him from gaudy golden trays.

Cami tried to keep her mind on searching the room and the movements of Drago's security guys, but the giggling of the girls on the couch behind her kept interrupting her thoughts along with the loud music. Loki was doing exactly what Clint and Natasha wanted, but that didn't mean Cami was alright with it - not that she'd admit to anyone that she was actually feeling jealous that complete strangers were allowed so close to him.

"Cameras are up," Clint eventually reported. "Good work, Nat."

"Thanks. I tried to sneak a few peeks into the girls dressing room area, but backstage security noticed me and I had to move on. He's got a lot of muscle around here."

"I'm switching through the feeds. Looks like Drago does have a camera in the girls' area. I'll let you know if I see Miss Morroz," Clint said.

"Any news on back up?" Natasha asked. "We weren't expecting so much security."

Shale joined in. "I can check in with Fury and Hill. I think we were going to request FBI assistance, but obviously that will only work if we actually find something worth them raiding the place."

Cami listened quietly to these exchanges. She spotted Natasha over by the bar as she said through the com,"OK. I'll look for the manager."

"Cami, you're pouting," Clint said a few moments later.

"I'm just having so much fun down here," she muttered sarcastically.

Loki tugged on her piggy tail again causing Cami to shoot him a look of displeasure over her shoulder. Being his pet would get old real fast if he kept pulling her hair. Couldn't he tell how tense she was feeling?

He took a plump, chocolate-dipped strawberry from the tray and leaned forward to hold it to her lips. Cami took a bite, but couldn't deny that the presence of the other girls totally ruined the gesture. The way they touched him, running their hands through his long hair and placing his hands on their bodies, just irritated her to no end.

If there was something that he wanted her to do, Cami missed it. She did realize that his second drink was in his hand, but the glass was half empty already.

Through her com Cami could hear Natasha was introducing herself to the manager, who seemed friendly enough, but wouldn't verify that Drago was even on the premises.

"Drago IS in his office and he IS watching his monitors," Clint confirmed. He sounded a little irritated too.

"If he's watching, maybe we should make a scene," Cami suggested, lowering her head so hopefully no one noticed she was talking when there was nobody close enough to hear her.

Loki tapped her shoulder and gestured for Cami to get up from the pillow. Then he took ahold of her waist and pulled her onto his lap. Cami complied, of course, fully aware that he was just playing his part in this charade. She was situated sideways on his lap so she could see and talk to him more easily.

The harem girls held back, waiting for Loki to indicate what he wanted from them, but he quickly waved them away as if he was bored with their company now.

Up close, Cami realized that his eyes and features showed something completely different than the boredom she'd thought before.

"You look really tired," she said to him with a concerned frown. Even she would have normally been in bed by now and she hadn't been hospitalized recently.

Cami saw a server nearby and gestured to catch her attention. "Coffee?" she asked, trying to sound like the word was uncommon for her.

"Sure, sweetie," the girl said with a peppy grin and hurried off in a flutter of flowing material.

Cami laid against Loki, forcing him back into the softness of the couch. She could tell that he was struggling to keep his eyes open. She put her head on his shoulder, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against her side. Considering his condition she actually felt guilty putting her full weight on him.

"Maybe the vodka was a bad idea," Cami whispered against Loki's neck.

She noted with displeasure that she could smell perfume from Drago's girls on him too.

Clint responded, "Give him that coffee as soon as you get it."

They sat there together in silence while the music blared and harem girls moved around them. Loki turned his head toward the nearest dancer, seeming to take in her performance as a focal point to keeping conscious.

When the server returned with the coffee, she placed it on the small table and asked if there was anything more she could get for them. Since Natasha was supposed to be their translator, Cami faked a look of confusion, shook her head and uttered, "nyet" - one of only four words she knew in Russian. This one happened to mean 'no'. She would suck at faking Russian, so it was a blessing that the girl was immediately called away.

Cami took the hot coffee and handed it to Loki, encouraging him to drink all of it as quickly as he could. "The caffeine should help," she promised.

Loki let her recline on him as he finished the coffee. His free arm was wrapped around her with his hand curling at her hip.

She reached up and smoothed his long bangs out of his face then dared to give him a soft, longing kiss on the mouth, which he not only allowed, but seemed to enjoy.

Natasha returned to the booth before Cami could get much further with her daring explorations of Loki. The club's manager accompanied her. He was in his late forties with a noticeably thinning hairline, round features and thin, wire spectacles. His suit also looked very expensive. He held his hand out for Loki to shake, not expecting him to stand with Cami perched on his lap.

"We are honored that you came by to visit us, Mr. Lukin," the manager said. "I am Arlo Vahdati."

Natasha translated all of this into Russian, speaking to Loki directly.

Loki nodded, sitting up so he could set down his coffee cup and shake the offered hand. He gestured for Vahdati to take a seat with them and released Cami, allowing her to slide off his lap and cuddle up to his side.

Vahdati gestured to Natasha. "Ms. Asmik wasn't too specific about your reasons for this meeting. I can assure you that I am fully aware of Mr. Drago's current dealings. Please, tell me how we can help you today."

After the translation, Loki took some time to size up Vahdati before nodding to Natasha.

"We have heard through our sources that Mr. Drago has access to girls for... long-term companionship," Natasha said, keeping her accent thick as she wove extra meaning into her words. "Mr. Lukin is looking for a new girl to add to his household."

Mr. Vahdati was slow to respond, though his friendly smile never faded. "I see. Do you mind if I ask who referred you?"

Loki's expression still looked a bit bored and somewhat stern as Nat translated. He shook his head in response.

"The list is prestigious, but let's not waste time on such unimportant details," Natasha continued. "Mr. Lukin has had a few tiring days of travel and been gracious enough to come here and wait at your convenience. Can we talk business or not?"

Vahdati's cell phone rang and he excused himself for a moment, stepping away to answer it.

"He's on with Drago," Clint confirmed, probably keeping an eye on both locales on the monitors set up at the hotel.

In Vahdati's absence, Loki turned his attention to Cami. He pulled her close again and pressed his mouth to her neck, kissing and nibbling at her skin with such urgency that she might have swooned if it wasn't for Clint's voice over the com line dishing out a brotherly threat.

Loki released her again, smirking slightly in Natasha's direction as he straightened his suit. He poured some of Cami's juice into the remainder of his vodka and drained it with one gulp.

"That's really not going to help if you're so tired," Cami whispered.

Loki set his glass down, then placed his hand on her knee and gave it a strong reassuring squeeze.

Vahdati returned to his seat with a very wide smile. He spoke directly to Loki. "I just spoke with Mr. Drago. I told him of your request and he is coming into the club to meet with you personally to discuss the specifics."

Natasha rambled off a translation for Loki. "Thank you. We hoped he would be willing to accommodate us," she said to Mr. Vahdati. "Is he close by?"

Loki looked pleased to, but still a little antsy to be stuck sitting in the booth waiting.

"We can expect him soon," Vahdati said. "Would you like some more drinks? I'm sure the girls would be eager to please in any way."

Loki was declining these offers as Natasha translated. He leaned closer to Cami, lifted her chin and gave her a soft kiss. Then he waved Natasha over to him, pulling her into his lap as she drew close and gave her one as well.

"Ah, yes. You do seem to have your...hands full, " Vahdati said with a grin. "I'll check in with some of our other guests, but come back to escort you once Mr. Drago arrives."

Natasha thanked him and Mr. Vahdati wandered away to schmooze more patrons.

"Hey, I'm the one who decides where you're sleeping tonight, Loki," Clint warned, no doubt scowling at the image of Loki cuddled up with both girls.

Cami held back the flood of giggles that wanted so badly to bubble up out of her throat. At least Clint hadn't completely forgotten that Loki was currently without quarters.

"Now that you've stirred the pot, so-to-speak, maybe someone should do another sweep," Agent Shale suggested.

"Vahdati didn't go too far. I'm sure he's going to notice if I get up again," Natasha informed Shale. "I already used the bathroom excuse."

"I don't have a visual of the girl on any of the camera feeds," Clint said, "though that dressing room is packed."

Cami leaned forward, looking toward the main stage area. From previous experience she knew the backstage area of any club was always in chaos. "I'll do it," Cami offered and pushed to her feet.

Loki grabbed ahold of her arm, gripping it a bit too tightly.

Natasha noticed when Cami grimaced. She reached out quickly and touched her hand to the side of Loki's face. "Relax, Loki," she said in a tone that was nice, yet too firm to not be an order. "Cami's going to be really careful."

Cami managed a smile for him despite being on edge. She didn't know what was causing him to react this way.

Finally Loki released her arm, leaving a residual sting.

There were so many people watching her as Cami made her way to the staircase and headed down to the main level that she doubted she could go anywhere without drawing attention. At the first opportunity, Cami slipped behind the stage and found cover so she could get her bearings.

"You should be near the storage area," Natasha was whispering into the com line. "Head to the opposite side of the main stage to find the dressing room."

"Roger that."

Cami's move happened to correspond with the end of a song and a flood of dancers returning to the dressing room. She was able to use the mob as partial cover to get past one security guard then another who was speaking on his cellphone.

The dancers swept into the dressing area and dispersed to their stations for wardrobe, hair and makeup changes. Considering the immensity of the room and the number of girls, it was obvious to Cami that Drago took the entertainment side of his business very seriously.

The layout of the room offered nowhere for Cami to hide. So, she let her curiosity show through in her expression and started taking a self-guided tour. For the most part, the girls were too busy changing to give Cami much attention as she moved among them in search.

Finally, a blonde young woman with deep brown eyes and a lot of eyeliner jumped up from her chair and addressed Cami as she came close. "Hi," the blonde said with a smile. "Are you a new dancer?"

In her surprise to be face-to-face with Anna Morroz in a black leather catsuit, Cami almost forgot that she wasn't supposed to understand English. At least shaking her head worked to convey uncertainty as she bit back her words.

"Oh no," another of the girls interjected. "She came in with that tall Russian guy and the red head. She probably doesn't understand anything you're saying."

The blonde thanked her co-worker for the helpful information and turned back to Cami. "I'm Anna," she said pointing to herself and repeating her name again. "What's your name?"

Cami hesitated, too stunned to think clearly. For the life of her, she couldn't think of a girl's Russian name other than Natasha, which would quickly get confusing for the team.

"Maybe she's not allowed to talk," the other girl muttered.

"I think I scared her," Anna said with a guilty smile. She slipped a comforting arm around Cami's shoulders and guided her to sit in the chair at her station. "It's OK, hon. I've had a few days like that myself."

Through the com, Clint asked, "Cami, confirm. Is that Anna Morroz?"

Cami couldn't think of a way to respond to him with so many eyes on her. She couldn't even pull herself together to interact with Anna who was looking her over with such interest.

"I don't think you're as young as they've made you up to be," Anna said, sounding wise beyond her years. She touched Cami's curled hair. "Do you speak any English?"

Cami held on to her confused expression, looking around her like she expected to be in trouble for being in here.

Back up in the booth, Natasha's com picked up and transmitted the voice of Mr. Vahdati as he rejoined them. He asked Loki and Natasha to follow him to the owner's office where Mr. Drago was waiting. "Don't worry about your girl," Vahdati said. "I'll have someone bring her along when she returns."

Whether they'd wanted it or not, it appeared that the team was working both forks of the plan.

Anna waved her hand in front of Cami's face, snapping her back to attention. "Hello? Are you alright?"

Cami was embarrassed to be caught distracted. She didn't know if she could handle the open com while doing this. She looked away from the watchful eyes of the girls.

"You have a great body for dancing, kid," Anna said, "I'd kill for those thighs."

Anna turned, checking the clock mounted on the wall then called out across the room, "Three minutes for dancers on the upper stages, ladies."

Cami watched the reactions of the girls throughout the room to this announcement. It wasn't hard to see that Anna was in a position of authority.

Another girl stepped up to address Anna. "New girl didn't show. We don't have anyone for stage three."

"OK. Move Mary to three."

"What about five then? Arlo is going to be mad if we don't cover the Russian's area too."

"Um... I think we'll be ok," Anna said knowingly. "I'll walk his girl back up there and stay to give them a little show."

Cami had been aggressively ignoring the conversation in Drago's office, but still noticed when it was suddenly cut off. A moment later, Clint broke in on the line. "We have a complication. Anna isn't to be trusted. Head out and regroup with Agent Shale."

It was hard to keep her expression from changing when her system received such an immediate shock. Cami quickly stood while Anna's back was still turned and slipped through the crowd of girls toward the closest of the two exits from the dressing room.

"Hey wait," Anna exclaimed suddenly and followed Cami out into a small hallway between the rooms. "Let me show you the way," she said, reaching out to grab at Cami's hand.

On instinct, Cami pulled away and watched Anna's friendly demeanor instantly dissolve into the look of a cunning predator. "Is play time over then... Camille?"

"Run," Clint instantly ordered Cami through the com. "Run like hell!"

She barely managed a step backward before Anna was in motion, kicking Cami in the chest with the hard sole of her boot. Falling to her knees, Cami covered her sternum and gasped frantically for air.

"Cami, report!" Clint was yelling through the line.

Cami wanted to scream, cry, do anything, but her chest just hurt too much. "Clehhht..." Cami tried. "Clehhnt..."

"Brandon, I'm going in. We need that back up now!"

Anna grabbed Cami's left piggy tail, pulling her head up and over to unveil the communicator tucked into her ear. She dug the device out with her long fingernails, threw it down on the concrete and smashed it with her boot.

"Vahdati," Anna said into her own communication device. "Have security meet me at the office. I need to return something to Mr. Lukin."

Seizing Cami by the arm and the back of the neck, Anna hauled her to her feet. "Be a good girl and I won't do anything that will leave a scar on that pretty skin of yours," she hissed in a guarded tone and pushed Cami toward the back set of stairs.


	9. Chapter 9

_Special thanks to Ellize Avalon, featherstone5725 and MizeryFox for reviewing the last chapter for me. I thoroughly enjoy your comments and insights._

_Also, please accept my appreciation for everyone who has put the story on their favorites list and/or is following. Really, you have no idea how much I love you all for the support._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Nine:

Cami realized that she was screwing up big time. Even as she fought to breathe and keep her balance on the stairs with Anna pushing her forward, Cami was getting angry because she'd worked too hard in the last few months to be reduced to being a damsel in distress now. If she didn't reclaim her dignity quick, her chances of being a field agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. would be over - Clint would make certain of it.

Cami and Anna met up with two security guys as they reached the upper landing and two more as their group crossed to the office door and barged in. Her teammates were sitting opposite of Drago, who was behind his desk. Cami saw that Drago had a gun pointed at them.

"Ah, I see Anna has made a new friend," Drago said, his bleached smile showing drastically white against the dark tan of his skin. "Believe me, Mr. Lukin, or whoever you really are, I would have been more than willing to discuss business if your intent had been genuine."

"What gave us away?" Natasha asked, choosing to give up on her accent.

The security guards spread out around the large office. Both of Cami's teammates were focusing their attention on Drago though, who suddenly pointed his gun in Cami's direction.

"Camille did, of course. Clint Barton has done well to stay off my radar since he turned against us. I don't think he knew that his sister was dancing at one of my clubs. I didn't know who she was at first, but when she caught my eye... I quickly found out everything I could about her."

Natasha asked Drago, "You wanted to use her for leverage against Clint?"

"No, I wanted her because she's beautiful, intelligent, free-spirited and was seemingly alone in the world. I was going to collect her - make her my own. But then she got expelled from school and her brother arrived to take her away before I could act."

Drago's confession made Cami feel cold. She made herself think back to those days when dancing and heavy partying had been her main escapes from the stresses of school. She hadn't cared much about the people around her then. Her closest friends had only been useful distractions or charmed conspirators in her antics. It didn't surprise her that she hadn't given Drago any thought or notice. Really, she didn't remember ever meeting him and decided on the spot not to dwell on thoughts of what may have happened if circumstances had turned out differently. She had plenty to worry about in their current situation.

The strain on her breathing was easing now, though her sternum was likely to hurt for a while with how terribly it still stung.

"We were only here because we were led to believe that Anna was in danger," Natasha informed Drago. "Since she obviously is not, our interest in you and your club is minimal. You should let us walk before our back up arrives."

"Would that back up happen to be Clint Barton? Because... I'd really like to settle some old business with him."

"I'm sure he's around, Victor," Anna said, tightening her grip on the side of Cami's neck. "Camille was bawling for him before I broke her communicator."

Cami felt her anger grow deep in her chest. Not only was she the damsel in distress, but bait now too. Enough was enough. It was time for her to put her brain to work and figure out how she was going to take herself out of the equation.

"Clint is a dangerous man," Natasha warned. "He isn't going to be reasonable if you hurt his sister."

"You are in contact with him, I assume." Drago pointed his gun back in Natasha's direction, though he spoke to Loki as well. "Give me your communicators."

Loki glanced at Natasha, following her lead as she slowly reached up with her left hand to touch her ear. Then, right at that moment, while everyone had their attention fixed on the beautiful Black Widow, a terrible shrieking sound erupted, blaring out even the sound of the club's music.

Cami startled - as did Drago and all of his people.

Natasha instantly pushed up from her chair and kicked it toward the nearest bodyguard. She then hurled herself at the next man who she stunned, disarmed and used as a human shield as the first of the gunfire started.

Loki also sprang into action. With his long reach, he stretched the width of Drago's desk, grabbing him by his gun hand and dragging him across its surface. Then with a fierce twist Loki dislocated Drago's shoulder before stealing his gun and dumping him on the floor to scream in agony.

If Cami hadn't known that Clint was coming, she might not have collected herself so quickly when the fire alarm went off. _Here I go, _she thought and twirled her body swiftly to the left. As she hoped, Anna's weaker right hand grip broke easily, though her nails scratched deeply across Cami's neck. The stronger grip on the left was at the wrong angle to stop the momentum of her spin and also broke.

Cami dashed through the office doorway onto the landing and ran for the stairs. She didn't dare look back to see if Anna or anyone else was in pursuit.

"Cami!" Natasha's worried voice followed her out, but Cami didn't slow down. Clint's earlier orders had been pretty clear- run to Agent Shale. He was supposed to be in the limo somewhere in view of the backdoor.

The backstage area was flooded with panicked, screaming girls who were moving for the exit. Cami quickly joined them. She even pulled out her piggy tails and ran her hands through the curls in an attempt to blend in better with the other girls as they pushed their way forward.

Along with the alarm and music, there were muffled bangs coming from the office above and the front club area. Those had to be gunshots. Cami bit at her lip, wishing she had the communicator back so she would know if her teammates were alright or not.

Once the group reached the parking lot, the girls took off in all directions. Cami needed only a moment to take in her surroundings. There wasn't much light in the back parking area, but she was able to spot the limousine at the very end of the lot and started toward it, weaving her way around the running girls and dodging cars speeding from the scene.

As she ran up to the limo, Cami let herself in the back passenger door, closed it firmly behind her and locked it.

"Now what do we do?" she asked, looking up at the driver's seat. To her horror, Brandon Shale was not the man sitting there.

"Now you die," Arlo Vahdati said dramatically, lifting his handgun into view. "Victor Drago sends his regards."

There wasn't time to think, only react. Cami dove into the opposite seat directly behind the driver's seat as Vahdati got off his first round. He'd missed her, but probably not by much.

Cami reached over her head for the door, hitting the button to unlock it. Obviously, she intended to climb out, but there wasn't time before Vahdati was leaning over the seat with the gun.

She grabbed his wrist with both hands, applying as much force as she could to direct the weapon away from her as it went off again. This time, Cami was sure she'd felt the bullet fly over her shoulder and past her ear.

Suddenly the car door opened and Cami caught a glimpse of Anna Morroz before she was being pulled out of the car by her hair. The asphalt tore up her outfit and flesh as Cami fell from the limo and was dragged for several feet. She also lost a shoe.

"I've got the bitch," Anna yelled to Vahdati.

Cami knew she was in pain, but it was partly masked by the adrenaline coursing through her system. She fought, trying to kick at Anna and loosen her grip on her hair at the same time.

Anna laughed at Cami as her efforts to get free failed. "Really, I expected more from a Barton," she said.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cami saw movement in the darkness. A form leaped at them, going over her and colliding with Anna.

Cami felt some of her hair rip out of her scalp right before Anna's grip released completely. She rolled away, then looked to confirm the identity of her rescuer. It was Natasha.

Vahdati was struggling to untangle himself from the limo. Anna screamed at him as she exchanged blows with the Black Widow. "Shoot her, Arlo!"

Despite her injuries and missing shoe, Cami jumped up and dashed to the limo, ready to throw herself against the driver's door before it could open. Instead, she found herself face-to-face with Vahdati who was a bit quicker exiting the vehicle than she'd expected.

"Shit!" Cami swore, freezing as he pointed his gun at her.

"Cami, get down!" an unfamiliar male voice shouted from behind her.

She dropped as gunfire erupted over her. She heard both men yell out in pain and Cami looked up to see Vahdati stumbling backwards, gripping his bloody hand. He took off running, choosing to leave his gun where it had fallen on the ground.

Natasha and Anna were still battling several yards away as Cami's gaze skimmed her surroundings in a blurr. Finally she got turned around and spotted the dark, prone form beyond the limo. Hurrying over, Cami knelt beside him as she realized who it was.

"Loki?" she said, reaching out to touch his face, which was still hard to make out completely in the darkness.

His eyes were open. He was wincing and gripping the right side of his abdomen.

Cami slipped her hand under his suit coat and found it was warm and wet underneath. She looked at her hand and though the darkness made it difficult to make out the color, the liquid on her fingers smelled strongly of blood. "Oh no," she panicked and leaned closer to him, immediately pushing down on the spot.

"Help! Please. Loki's been shot," she said into his ear for the sake of transmitting this message to her teammates through his com.

Loki shook his head and tried to pull her hand from his wound.

"We need to put pressure on it," Cami told him. He continued to be agitated and even attempted to sit up. So, Cami forced him back down and straddled him painfully as she maintained the pressure. "Hold on," she said to him, feeling strong emotion burn in her chest beneath her aching sternum. Tears flooded her eyes and spilled down her face. "I'm so sorry."

Loki was too weak and had finally stopped fighting Cami when Natasha ran up. She was panting, talking on her com and looking off toward the road where a silver luxury car had just cleared the corner on squealing tires.

"I have a visual on the car," Natasha reported, "but still no response from Clint. Perhaps his communicator is malfunctioning."

The silver Mercedes pulled up beside them. Tony Stark and Steve Rogers jumped out, along with a pretty blonde woman.

"Loki's been shot!" Cami yelled at them as the trio rushed forward.

"And Clint's missing," Natasha added. "Agent Shale is looking for him, but there's still armed men in the club."

Cami climbed off Loki as Steve bent down to help him up and support his unsteady form.

Tony turned to the blonde who looked extremely worried and deposited his car keys into her hand. "Pepper, you have to drive Loki and Cami to the emergency room. Steve and I are going to help find Clint and round up bad guys."

"You don't have a suit," she said, getting emotional. "You'll get shot."

"Oh no," Tony said, waving off her concern. He teased, "I'll stay behind Steve. Let him get shot instead."

Pepper obviously didn't think this was funny, but turned without comment to follow Steve as he assisted Loki to Tony's car.

Natasha helped Cami stand, giving her a quick inspection. She looked concerned and took the time to retrieve Cami's uniform jacket from the limo, tying it around her waist before guiding her over to Pepper too.

"I'll find Clint," she promised Cami, "and meet you at the hospital."

Cami was still crying and beginning to shake as she climbed into the front passenger seat. She wiped Loki's blood on her jacket sleeve then pulled on her seatbelt. Her back, buttocks and legs were bleeding and raw with pain from being dragged across the asphalt by Anna. Her knees and uncovered foot had also not fared well. Sitting was unbearable by the time they got out on the road. So, she turned on her side and stared at the lights that streaked past her window as Pepper drove.

Cami couldn't imagine a more terrible feeling than how she felt right then. If she had been a more religious person, she probably would have prayed to God. Instead, she apologized in whispers to Odin, wondering if he would take Loki away from her if he lived.

Then she thought about Clint missing and possibly dying too and the emotion overwhelmed her beyond further thought or words.

Pepper's cell phone rang as they neared the hospital. Her voice was uncertain as she answered initially, but she was soon sounding more reassured.

"Yes, Director Fury, I understand. Ivan Lukin. I'll remember. Goodbye."

Cami got the gist. So she didn't ask Pepper for details.

Cami and Loki were separated as soon as they reached the hospital. Cami tried to send Pepper with 'Mr. Lukin', but he was heading directly for surgery and the doctors soon sent her back. The businesswoman fielded phone calls from the hallway while a doctor evaluated Cami's injuries. Since federal agents were apparently given preferential treatment, Cami was fixed up, drugged and admitted to a hospital bed in record time. She fell asleep soon afterward.

* * *

Dim light and a soft beeping in the surrounding darkness drew Cami's attention as soon as her eyes opened. It was hard for her to focus on the machine beside her with its blurry readouts.

It occurred to Cami that she was in pain. She tried to shift positions, only to cause more pain that made her whimper.

"Take it easy," a man's voice said from nearby; and suddenly there was a figure at her side, reaching over the metal railing to touch her shoulder. Cami stared at him until her eyesight and memory kicked in. It was Brandon Shale.

"Hey," she said to him, sounding tired, but friendly enough. "Tell me what's going on."

"Someone will explain," he promised. Then he stepped out of the room, calling out, "She's awake!"

Director Fury and Dr. Lloyd entered the room, turning up the lights. Though she was relieved to see familiar faces, Cami was bothered that no one else was coming in.

_Why isn't Clint or Natasha here? _she wondered.

Fury stood near the end of her hospital bed, saying nothing while the doctor leaned in to take her vitals and listen to her breathing. Cami reached up, gently gripping the doctor's arm and getting him to look into her eyes. He tried to smile in a reassuring way, but Cami could see something in his expression that worried her.

"Where's Clint?" she asked. "Was he hurt?"

"He did get his own share of bumps and bruises" Nick Fury said, "but you'll see him soon."

Dr. Lloyd took only a few moments longer. He asked about the level of Cami's pain then stepped out to order her some more medication.

"How's Loki?" Cami asked next.

That was when Fury pulled up a chair and sat at her side. He hesitated, looking uncertain and unwilling to disclose details. "I really didn't come in to talk about your teammates. We need to talk about you."

Cami instantly frowned because she knew what that meant. She was in trouble.

"Dr. Lloyd says your injuries are pretty severe because your outfit didn't protect the softer areas of your body in the back. He says you're going to be on physical restriction for close to a month and that's only if you don't manage to pop any of your stitches in the meantime."

"Oh, that doesn't sound good," she said, still waiting for the punch. What he had left to say could only get worse.

"As you know, graduation for your class is in nine weeks and you have yet to reach satisfactory marks in your combat courses," Nick continued.

Cami managed to nod, but let her gaze drop from his.

"If you don't pass in time, I'll have to pull you from the program."

"What happens to me then?" she asked softly, trying to keep emotions from showing on her features. She knew he wasn't saying this to be mean. He had a whole agency of people to protect and one operative's weakness could affect the safety of many.

"You have high enough scores to work in several areas of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Romanoff says you like computers and gadgets. Surely, you could find a niche in operations or the tech crew where you'd be happy."

Ever since Clint brought her to S.H.I.E.L.D., Cami had wanted to walk in his footsteps, understand the life he had been leading away from her and find a way to make him proud. It seemed that Fury was already convinced that she would fail to graduate field training.

It wasn't Cami's intention to not answer him, but she realized that her current anger and fear were stunting her ability to speak. Cami stared at her blankets sorrowfully.

Dr. Lloyd returned with her pain medication and injected it directly into her I.V. "She has visitors waiting out there," the doctor informed Fury.

"I'll let her decide who she wants to see," the director said, rising from the chair. "I'm sorry, Miss Barton. I know you have been working very hard as of late to make this work. You can always reapply next year."

Cami waited for Nick Fury to step out before addressing Dr. Lloyd. "Is Clint out there?"

"Yes and some of his Avenger friends."

She didn't want to cry in front of Clint's friends. "How about Natasha?"

"Agent Romanoff has been with Loki since he came out of surgery," Dr. Lloyd told her.

Cami made an honest try to focus her turbulent thoughts. "How is he doing?"

"He's stable. It turns out that Loki didn't get shot after all."

Cami stared at him in confusion. "But... his blood... it was all over my hands."

"He was injured, but... it wasn't a gunshot wound."

"Then what did happen?" she asked him, careful to talk as respectfully as the emotions stirring in her chest and gut allowed.

"Like usual, he's not talking," the doctor said. "It looks like his flesh just tore open. I've never seen anything quite like it, but... I'm fairly certain the resulting scar would have looked similar to his others if we hadn't sewn up the wound properly."

Clint poked his head into the room. He was sporting some bruises on his face and a bandage on his left bicep. "Am I intruding?" he asked with care.

"You can come in," Cami said. "The doctor was sharing the mystery of Loki's injury with me."

Clint nodded respectfully to Dr. Lloyd as he stepped out into the hall then crossed to the chair abandoned by Fury. "I guess you got the news from Nick too, huh?"

"Yeah."

Clint sighed and reached up to rest his hand on top of hers. "I'm so sorry, Cami."

"I just wasn't good enough to be in the field. I let you down."

Clint raised himself from the chair so he could reach over and wipe away the first of her emerging tears. "We never should have put you in that position. I'm going to appeal to the graduation committee, see if they will grant you an extension... if you really want to be in the field, that is."

"I really do," she admitted, touched by his promise to support her.

"Then you'd better work hard at healing up," he said, shaking his finger at her and acting stern, "because brother boot camp is not going to be fun."

Cami nodded. "OK. Nat gets to help too?"

"Of course."

"And Loki?"

"Well... I guess so. He's going to have restrictions for a while too."

"We're your problem children, huh?"

Clint laughed. "My very own mischief makers. I'm so lucky."

"So," Cami asked gently, her smile dissolving from her lips, "what happened in the club? Nat couldn't reach you."

"I just had to talk some things out with Drago."

"Did we get him then?"

"Nah, the weasel got away." Clint looked disappointed, but almost like he'd expected that outcome. "We bagged most of his guys though, including Anna."

"I don't understand what happened. How did she turn out to be a bad guy? And, how did you know?"

"It's a long story," he said wearily, taking a long glance at his watch, "and I haven't slept in over thirty hours. Do you mind a rain check?"

"I'm tired too," she admitted. "The painkiller is starting to work."

"OK. Maybe we'll regroup for dinner then."

"Ewwww... hospital food," Cami said, making a gagging sound. "I guess if that's my only choice."

Clint was tolerant of her childish attitude despite how tired he was feeling. He stood, but took a moment to straighten her blankets and lean in for a hug. He also planted a soft kiss on her forehead - proof that fatigue mixed with the events at the club had made him overly sentimental.

"Love you," Cami whispered to him.

"More," he muttered back, easing out of her embrace. He lingered, seeming to come to his senses and actually look a little embarrassed.

Cami waived him out. "Go get some sleep... and a shower."

Clint saluted her, turned down the lights again and walked out.

She knew she was lucky to be alive to share that affection with her brother or to have the chance to prove Nick Fury wrong about her. There was more than one person to thank for that, but as Cami gave into the drugs, there was one distinct voice, one urgent phrase that repeated throughout the scatterings of her thoughts.

'Cami, get down!'


	10. Chapter 10

My appreciation to Ellize Avalon, featherstone5725 and Xenon for reviewing.

Mischief Makers – Chapter Ten:

"He doesn't want to see anyone right now," Natasha said gently.

"Not even me?" Cami asked, showing her disappointment.

Natasha looked sympathetic. "It's not that you did something wrong. He's a little... shaken, I think."

Clint leaned quietly against the door jam, staring angrily at the floor. The bruises on his face had swelled and darkened a bit, which enhanced his menacing look.

"Did he explain what happened to him?" Cami asked hopefully.

"No. He won't talk at all. Questions only frustrate him," Natasha explained.

Clint spoke up. His tone was far from understanding. "Cami is practically bedridden for the next month. Surely his majesty can choke down his issues long enough for a brief audience."

Tony and Pepper walked up behind Clint just then. "From your tone, I'm going to hope that I'm not the one you're talking about," Stark said.

"No. It's Loki... of course."

Clint cleared the doorway so they could enter the room. Pepper was carrying a vase with a large bouquet of wildflowers, which she placed at the bedside.

"These are beautiful," Cami said. "Thank you."

"You are very welcome," Pepper responded. "Clint didn't seem to know what flowers you like best."

"So, we went with the bigger-is-better plan," Tony interjected. "How are you feeling?"

"There's a lot of pain when I move. I have to do everything slowly."

"She's not really supposed to move because it increases the chance of her stitches popping," Clint explained. She can stand or she can lie down. Pretty much anything else is a bit risky right now."

"I see," Tony said with a nod. "It's inconvenient that movement is needed to get from one to the other."

Cami chuckled and agreed.

Pepper said, "We heard that you weren't too fond of hospital food. So, we got permission to have some Italian delivered. Clint was fairly positive that you love chicken parmesan."

"Yes, I do. Thank you." Cami was touched by their generosity. Considering her past encounters with Tony, she had expected him to be making inappropriate jokes about her ass by now - not being so nice.

"Well... we feel kind of responsible," Tony said. "We were in town for a short visit; Steve was staying with us. Out of the blue our friend called and said that he thought his nanny had been kidnapped. So, we might have jumped the gun a bit calling in S.H.I.E.L.D."

"We should have asked more questions at first," Pepper added, looking less comfortable with each passing moment. "He didn't confess to us until later that he'd been... sleeping with her."

Pepper looked so embarrassed that Cami couldn't help feeling sympathetic.

"Anyway," Tony continued, "I found out that he'd told Anna some sensitive, political stuff that he shouldn't have right before she disappeared. So, I figured there was a chance that she was really an opportunistic con-artist or even a spy."

"Tony called Nick with the news and Nick in turn called me," Clint explained. "Hence the last minute warning."

"We're so sorry," Pepper emphasized.

"It's OK," Cami said. She couldn't hold a grudge - especially since they'd come to the team's aid.

Natasha asked, "So, where is Steve? Did he not come?"

"He's supposed to meet us here," Tony said. "Agent Shale asked him along to run some errands. He should arrive any time."

Steve didn't show until everyone else had already started on their food. He wandered into Cami's room, toting a box with plastic bags tied off at the tops. "Your group's personal stuff from the hotel," he explained to Natasha and passed the whole box over.

Once his hands were free, Pepper fetched him a plate of the chicken parmesan.

"I thought Loki would be here," Steve said, but quickly realized this was a touchy subject when Cami's smile fell and no one else responded. "Did something happen?" he asked delicately.

"Loki needs some time to himself," Natasha said casually as she dug through the box from the hotel. "Whatever caused his injury has him all shook up."

Cami set aside her plate, wiped her mouth with her napkin and slowly eased back against her pillows. She could tell that her pain medication was wearing off again and was trying to decide if she was going to call for more or wait. If she did have more, she'd assuredly be asleep in no time and missing the company of those present.

"Hey Cami," Natasha asked, "is this the computer you brought with you from the helicarrier?"

Cami focused on the device clenched in Natasha's fingers. "Yeah, that looks like it."

"Brandon said it wasn't something that he'd issued to you guys. So, he asked me to bring it along with the clothes and stuff," Steve said.

Natasha handed it to Cami, who let it rest in her lap. She was thinking that later she'd use it to email the Murphys.

Tony pointed to the computer. "May I?" he asked. "I have an idea."

Cami shook her head to show that she didn't mind at all.

Tony passed Pepper his plate, picked up the computer from Cami's lap, then fished his own mini-computer out of his pocket. He moved to the small counter near the door to set them down while he keyed, tapped and swiped between them.

"What are you doing, Tony?" Pepper asked when she realized there was no convenient place to put down his food other than on Cami's bed or his abandoned chair.

"I'm activating instant messaging." He walked back to Cami, handing her his own computer. "Go ahead and type a message for Loki," he said. "We'll kindly ask Miss Romanoff to take this other computer to him."

The concept was simple and almost infantile for the age they lived in, yet Cami had never considered this as a way to communicate with Loki.

"What if he won't answer me?" Cami asked.

Steve said, "Give him a chance."

Natasha looked uncertain as she took the computer from Stark and left the room.

Cami stared at the blank screen and bit at her lip. She was reminded of the first time she'd gone to see Loki in his cell and had a hard time deciding what to say to him. This moment felt exactly the same. She figured she only had one shot to get this right so a simple "Hi" or "How are you feeling?" wasn't going to cut it. She also didn't want to play the guilt card on him by saying that she missed him, needed him or anything like that. They were in this mess together really. Her message had to convey that she understood that.

"This is hard," she admitted to the group. "I don't want to say the wrong thing to him."

"It doesn't have to be Shakespeare," Clint said, still irritated with the whole situation.

"I don't know," Tony said, giving Clint's comment some deep thought. "Considering his vast vocabulary and flair for the dramatic..."

"I agree with Clint," Pepper interrupted. She pulled Tony back into his seat and placed his plate in his lap. "It should sound like YOU talking to him since it's an attempt at a conversation."

After some further thought, Cami typed her message.

[I'm wishing we were somewhere else right now.]

She sent the message and waited, holding the computer with building anticipation for almost a full minute before setting it down on the blanket beside her with a disappointed sigh. The room's occupants had been silent for the duration of the seemingly long wait.

"At least you tried," Steve said.

"Maybe he's resting," Pepper suggested.

Tony vacated his chair again, reaching to collect his computer when it suddenly chimed. He pulled back his hand, giving Cami the space to retrieve it herself.

With some anxiety, Cami looked at the screen.

[I wish similarly.]

She smiled and wrote her next message.

[Did you hear that Drago got away?]

[Yes. Agent Romanoff told me everything.]

[Everything?]

[Well, the most important details.]

[It looked like you really did a number on his arm.]

[The files said he'd had shoulder surgery as a young man. I assumed it would be a weakness I could exploit if given the opportunity.]

[You are pretty clever. So, are you mad at me?]

Cami waited for a while, mindful of the questioning eyes of her visitors, before she assumed that he wasn't going to answer. She was trying to assure herself that a non-response did not mean he was mad at her, but it certainly felt like it.

"Oh well," Cami said to the others, who all appeared to pity her. "I asked a stupid question."

A nurse popped her head into the room and asked if Cami was ready for another shot of painkiller. "You'll probably want to get one before the shift change," she said and indicated the clock.

Clint said, "Yeah, bring it to her."

"I think we should go," Pepper said, rising from her chair and starting to gather up the mess.

Tony said, "We're due back in New York tomorrow."

"Thanks for coming," Cami told them, putting on a smile. They had been very generous to come by and bring all this stuff, so it was selfish of her to want them to stick around and distract her from her troubles.

"I'm sure we'll be seeing you again soon," Steve said, helping Pepper with the cleanup.

"Probably not," Cami said, shaking her head. "I think I'll be safely grounded to the helicarrier for a while."

"I'm sure one of these days you'll be backing us up," Steve said.

"We'll see," Cami responded to him. Perhaps Fury hadn't told the whole world that she was going to fail field training.

Tony, Pepper and Steve said their goodbyes and stepped out of the room into the hallway when something they saw stopped them in their tracks.

A few moments later Natasha and Loki came into view. Loki was dressed in a S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform and walking cautiously on his own, though Natasha appeared ready to render aid if necessary.

"We're on our way out," Pepper told them both. "Please let us know if you need anything."

Natasha took the time to say a proper farewell to the trio while Loki merely nodded in acknowledgment and continued into Cami's room. He was carrying the computer, which he handed to Clint before he stepped up to the bedside.

"Loki has an idea," Natasha said from the doorway, pointing at the computer now in Clint's hands. "He insisted on getting dressed and walking over here. His nurses are having fits."

Clint looked at the computer screen, reading quickly.

Cami was relieved to see that Loki was feeling strong enough already to be up and causing stress for the medical team.

"What's the idea?" Cami asked, looking between them.

"Wow," Clint said, looking as impressed as his tone sounded. He activated his com. "This is Agent Barton. I need a patch through to Brandon Shale's phone please."

After a brief pause, Clint continued. "Hey Brandon, this is Clint. Loki has a good idea where we might find Victor Drago. You want in?"

Cami was still in the dark. She looked at Natasha and made a 'what's up' gesture at her.

Natasha hesitated to explain because Clint was speaking again.

"I thought you might. Can you get us some tactical gear and a pick up from the hospital?" He nodded to the response, and then said, "Uh... just a second." He met Natasha's gaze. "Brandon wants to know who and how many are coming."

"Strike team should be small," Natasha advised. "Three or four, I say."

After some thought, Clint said, "Loki, I know this is your idea, but in your condition..."

Loki nodded, accepting that he was being asked to stay behind. He didn't look happy, of course, but he made no argument in lieu of the circumstances.

Loki held out his hand to receive the computer back, which Clint immediately relinquished to him.

"Brandon, two for pickup - Natasha and myself," Clint said through his com, moving for the door where Natasha stood waiting. They promptly left together.

Cami reached out and slipped the computer from Loki's grip. She looked at the screen, skimming what Loki had written while he lowered the side rail on the bed and took a seat down by her feet.

The motion of sitting made him wince.

"You remembered all this from the files you read?" Cami asked, referring to the detailed notes about a shoulder injury Drago had sustained in college. Loki had even listed the clinic and doctor's name in D.C. who had supervised the surgery to repair the damage.

"Do you have a photographic memory, Loki?"

He looked at her, studying her features and eyes. He did not look compelled to respond.

"You have a ton going for you, ya know. Once S.H.I.E.L.D. taps into all your potential, you're going to be one of their top agents."

He gave her a skeptical look.

"You can fight, shoot, research, strategize, improvise... You like computers and can probably be trained up in all sorts of programming skills. Jesus, Loki, how can you doubt your value?"

Loki was reading her with uncertain eyes.

Cami gazed back at the computer screen, feeling her facial muscles slip into a frown. Loki had opened a separate document to type up the notes. When she minimized the document, Cami found the instant message program was still open underneath it and her last message to him was there.

[You are pretty clever. So, are you mad at me?]

She reread the message and realized that she still wanted an answer. So, she held the computer out to him, indicating the message with a point of her finger.

Loki leaned forward enough to see the message. His gaze moved from the screen to her features and then to the distant wall. His mouth opened as if he was going to speak, but he didn't make a sound. Subconsciously, his hand moved to the spot of his injury and lingered.

"Fine. I'll take that as a yes," Cami said. She tossed the computer so it landed next to him. "You take it. I'm sure you'll be back in the field long before I will." She hadn't even tried to mask the bitterness in her tone.

Cami's nurse came into the room with a stern, authoritative expression. She was carrying Cami's syringe of painkiller. "Mr. Lukin, you really need to be in bed," she told Loki.

Loki took the computer and stood up slowly. He watched the nurse inject Cami's line before heading for the door.

His troubled expression should have been enough to make Cami call him back for an apology, but she was tired of always being the one to admit fault. Why couldn't he make the effort to ask for forgiveness this time?


	11. Chapter 11

_I know it takes time to share your opinion and not many do it. My appreciation to Ellize Avalon, featherstone5725 _

_and DecadentGrrrl for making the effort to send me some feedback._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Eleven:

Cami expected to have her sleep interrupted by nurses coming into her room at all hours. Waking up to find Loki at her bedside was entirely different. She was so surprised and honestly glad to see him, that she was smiling before her memory of the 'fight' caught up with her. Then it seemed stupid to try to be mad at him again when the moment for such theatrics was clearly lost.

Loki was still in his uniform or had changed into it again.

"Can't sleep?" Cami asked.

Loki dropped the side rail and sat carefully at the foot of the bed. His expression was so focused as he actively stared at Cami that he must have been memorizing each detail of her face.

"You know, you're kind of scaring me," Cami told him honestly after a few long moments. "You have this... Dracula look about you in this low lighting."

The intensity of his gaze eased up as he grinned.

_Could he actually know about the character Dracula? _Cami didn't know, but she liked relaxed Loki better anyway.

He got up and crossed to turn up the lights before retaking his spot on the bed.

"So, why the late visit?" Cami asked. "I don't see your computer. Is this going to be another one-sided conversation?"

Loki pulled off his uniform jacket, setting it behind him on her blankets and held out his arm to her. Other than his scars, there wasn't anything else there that Cami could see. She used the bed controls to raise her into more of a sitting position. Then she reached out and gently touched him, cradling his wrist in her left hand while tracing over the raised, fading-purple designs that curled, climbed and crisscrossed his arm with her right hand.

"I bet these still hurt some," Cami said. She followed one scar up his sleeve to his shoulder, eerily fascinated with its unbroken length.

Loki drew back his arm long enough to pull off his shirt, baring his chest, back and shoulders which were much worse. Cami frowned as she skimmed over his bandage and examined his exposed flesh. She doubted you could fit a quarter flat into any of the spaces between the scars. They were that numerous.

_What had the Jotun done to him to cause this much damage?_

Cami was fully aware of the course of her thoughts as she continued her examination, touching his chest with almost reverence. Inevitably, she came to the moment when she had to think back on the events in the parking lot of Drago's club. To the best of her knowledge, there hadn't been any Jotun around then. There had to be another explanation and she couldn't let her mind be limited to Midgardian thinking.

"You know," Cami said, starting slowly as her mind worked through the puzzle, "I might have never been the smartest kid in the class, but I think I've finally figured out why you're not talking."

Loki's gaze intensified again, like he was willing her to know his thoughts.

"The Jotun put a spell on you, didn't they? When you talk, you get those tears in your skin."

He didn't deny it. In fact, the relief that washed over his features more than confirmed what Cami had guessed to be the truth.

She wondered if there was something the Jotun didn't want him to disclose to anyone or if it was a punishment inflicted on him because he was generally so talkative.

Cami felt a little sick to her stomach, imagining how it must feel to have your flesh rip apart.

"Does Odin know?"

With some hesitation, Loki shook his head. Cami thought it looked more like an 'I don't know' shake than an absolute 'no'.

"Why didn't you say something?" The volume of her voice rose. "Surely you could have written a note for your family when you were pulled out of the Odenheim and returned to Asgard."

Loki took her hand and kissed it gently. He looked away and sighed, choosing to dismiss the question.

"Odin has to fix this!" she insisted and started calling out the All-Father's name, casting it out into the room as if she expected that he would be mindful of those who spoke of him and looking down on her and Loki at that exact moment.

Loki gripped her other hand as well, shaking his head and trying to capture her attention. When this didn't work, he pressed his finger to her lips and softly shushed her, but Cami just pulled back and kept calling out.

"You can't ignore me forever!" she screamed even louder still.

Suddenly Loki was very close, leaning in to silence Cami's loud, disrespectful challenges with a long, soft kiss.

Cami was stunned into silence, taking a few moments to collect herself enough to actually return the affection. Then, as her enthusiasm was starting to build, he broke the kiss, cautiously retreating from her to sit back and watch her reaction.

_What the hell? _Cami thought, studying his expression. Gradually realization hit her. He was worried that she'd be angry because he used a kiss to shut her up._ Now that's cute, _she thought. No other guy she'd made out with before ever cared that much about her feelings- at least they never seemed to care.

"You're just teasing me, right?" she asked with a cunning stare.

Loki was perplexed by this question and quickly left the bed.

"Wait, please don't leave," Cami begged him, stretching to catch his arm and causing pain in her back that she couldn't mask from him.

Loki retrieved his shirt that had been dropped on the floor and sat down in the bedside chair.

"I'm sorry. That was mean. It was a really good kiss and I didn't want it to end."

Loki leaned forward to rest his head on her upper thigh, looking tired as Cami slowly ran her fingers through his hair and down the side of his face.

"Just wait until I'm healed up a little better," she taunted him. "I'll have you on the run."

A broad smile and another kiss on her hand indicated that he was up for that challenge.

"Clint isn't going to like this," she said, her tone turning earnest and a little apologetic. "I think he's going to be even more protective than before now because I got hurt."

Loki sat up, looking around until he spotted the box with the group's belongings collected from the hotel. He left the chair, moving to the box and started opening the bags. In moments, he returned to Cami with his own bag of stuff, fishing out the box of condoms and holding it up to jog her memory.

"Oh, right... Nat's birthday present. Equally distracting for both of them if we play this right, huh?"

He nodded and slipped the box back into his stuff for safe keeping.

Her door opened. Clint, Natasha and her night nurse entered.

"What's going on?" Natasha asked, trying not to sound too alarmed that Loki was half naked.

"We've been 'talking'," Cami said, ignoring the obvious answer they would want.

Loki pulled on his shirt and jacket, relinquishing the chair to Natasha. He took his bag of stuff with him to stand near the window.

The nurse had been stepping around the visitors to check the equipment. She leaned in and asked Cami if she needed anything before slipping back out of the room and shutting the door.

"Did you get Drago?" Cami asked as soon as the coast was clear.

"Yes, we did," Clint confirmed. He said to Loki, "Your hunch was spot on. We nabbed him coming out of recovery. Any later and he might have been gone."

Loki looked pleased by the news.

"OK," Cami spoke up, "we need to have a team meeting."

Nat and Clint looked exhausted, yet amused.

"What about?" Clint asked.

Cami cut right to the chase. "Loki has a magical spell on him. He gets those wounds if he talks."

It took a few moments for the team supervisors to process this information. Nat turned in the chair. "Loki? Is this true?"

He nodded, looking far more embarrassed than he had when Cami guessed his situation earlier.

"You got all those scars from talking?" Clint asked with a frown. "Thor said the Jotun tried to kill you."

"I don't think Thor knows the truth," Cami said. "Loki wasn't talking in Asgard either, remember?"

"You're not going to hide behind some spell," Clint said to Loki angrily. "We need answers."

"Clint!" Cami exclaimed. "You can't order him to talk."

"He can use the computer to answer questions, but I'm tired of the games. If these wounds are from a spell, then he inflicted this damage on himself. So, were you trying to kill yourself? Or, were you so desperate to escape the Jotun that you counted on Odin saving your ass before you died?"

Loki leaned against the wall, staring back at Clint with conflicted eyes.

"Why are you being so mean to him?" Cami said. She couldn't believe Clint was attacking Loki. "He helped us catch Victor Drago. Give him a break."

"Cami," Natasha said, standing and touching her gently on the shoulder, "if he was so desperate to escape the Odenheim, to what lengths will he go to escape Earth? Plus, it isn't any better if he's suicidal to the point of actually inflicting injury on himself. This casts doubt on everything he does."

"He's one of us now," Cami insisted. She met Loki's gaze and found him hard to read. "He helped me figure out what was wrong with him. He didn't have to do that. I trust him."

"I'm sure he's counting on that too," Clint said coldly. He nodded at Natasha then activated his com line and headed for the hallway. "This is Agent Barton. I need to speak to Fury, Hill or the senior-most agent on duty at this hour."

"Nat," Cami softly pleaded, "he doesn't even have his computer to answer the question."

"I'm aware of that," she said calmly. Keeping her attention focused on Loki, Natasha spoke to both of them. "I know you two are growing very fond of each other, but... now might be a good time for some distance... to gain perspective. I'm sure it will do Clint some good too."

Cami was surprised when Loki immediately nodded, agreeing with Natasha.

"What? Hell, no! We are a team. We need to act like it," Cami exclaimed. After all, she and Loki were testing the waters of a more physical relationship. Now was a very inconvenient time to be apart.

Loki dropped his bag back into the box with the team's stuff. He turned to face the window, gazing out into the thick curtain of black beyond. Then he spoke, as if starting a conversation with someone standing near him. "Heimdall, please inform the family that I need to speak to them."

_Heimdall?_ Cami wondered, _Who is that?_

Natasha moved toward Loki, managing only a couple of words when Loki let out a muffled scream and collapsed, clutching his left thigh.

Cami grabbed her bed controls and held down the call button until a nurse spoke back to her. "There's an emergency in my room. Mr. Lukin. Hurry!"

With the flood of nurses, Clint also returned to the room. "What the hell happened?" he wanted to know.

Natasha looked a little uncertain. "He was talking to someone named Heimdall, I think," she said. "I didn't see anyone though."

Natasha stepped out of the way of the nurses, but had to move again as they brought in a gurney to transport Loki out of the room.

Cami threw off her blankets, struggling to get her body moving when Clint stepped to her bedside. "Whoa." He put his arm out and swept her back against the pillow.

Cami pushed against Clint's arm, which hardly budged as he restrained her.

Clint ordered Natasha, "Stay with him. Brandon or I will relieve you in a bit."

"Fine, but do not yell at her," Natasha said sternly and followed the mob and gurney out of the room.

As the situation diffused, Cami stopped resisting Clint and started crying instead. Between her attempt to leave the bed and Clint's forceful restraint, her injuries were agitated and throbbing terribly. Not to mention that she was worried about Loki's leg.

Clint pulled up her blankets and tucked her back in while avoiding her gaze. His jaw was clenched tight.

Several seconds passed and Cami could not control her tears, which seemed to add to Clint's tension and further extend the silence.

It gave her time to think about their team's complex situation and Natasha's suggestion.

"I need to go away," Cami finally said.

"What do you mean?" Clint asked, standing rigid as ever.

"Loki needs S.H.I.E.L.D. much more than I do and he's a thousand times better at this stuff than me. If you want us apart... then I have to leave."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do. Nat sort of agrees," Cami told him. "Besides, you need a break from me too. We argue all the time- almost every day. It's tiring."

He didn't know how to respond to these sentiments. So, it took an extra long time to respond.

"This is just a temporary leave right?" he asked. "You'll be back once you're healed up?"

"I suppose, but... I don't know."

"Come on, Cami," Clint said, "you really don't have to go."

"I want you to train Loki to be a field agent," Cami said with determination. "He is gifted and he has the capacity to do a lot of good if we'll let him."

"Cami, he's..."

"Broken?" Cami offered the word. "I know that."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. is not going to fix what is wrong with him," Clint insisted. "He's crazy."

"You don't really believe that or you wouldn't have let me anywhere near him in the first place. I think you're trying to make yourself feel better now by falling back on that old excuse."

"But, the things he's done..."

"I don't care."

"He's tearing us apart, Cami!"

"No he isn't. We were never together. We just co-exist in the same space, irritating the shit out of each other."

For the first time in a long time, Clint actually looked hurt by her words, which should have elicited more sympathy from her than it did.

Clint asked, "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes," she lied. There had been moments in the last weeks when she really did feel closer to him, but she couldn't admit that in her present state of upset. "I'm surprised you don't see it with your superior vision."

There was more silence, and then Clint suddenly flinched. He reached up and tapped his com. "This is Agent Barton," he said, answering an incoming call.

Cami grabbed a tissue and blew her nose while Clint listened. It seemed exactly the right ending to this conversation - a summons to action in the name of S.H.I.E.L.D. business.

"I copy that," he said. "Barton out."

Cami didn't even ask. Knowing Clint, it was probably a top secret mission.

"Uhhh... Jane Foster just called in from her facility in New Mexico. There's been activity at the bifrost site. S.H.I.E.L.D. was tracking Thor moving at supersonic speeds across the country, but he kept speeding up and they soon lost him."

Cami nodded, unable to invest her mind into being astounded by this news.

"And," Clint continued, "they don't think he's alone."

Apparently, Loki's request to talk to his family was being answered.

"I see. Well, I won't keep you," Cami said, then quickly added, "but if Thor's taking Loki away, I'd really like a chance to say goodbye first."

A simple nod and Clint left the room. He was back on the com line talking to Natasha before the door shut behind him.


	12. Chapter 12

_I love you guys! I honestly never thought I'd get 39 total reviews with 45 favorites and 83 follows. Just as you anxiously await my new chapters, I crave your feedback. Thanks to sweets1111, Ellize Avalon, viktorskrumpet, featherstone5725, sv4me, kaayrakoi and Lei-san for inspiring me with their reviews of Chapter Eleven. _

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twelve:

The God of Thunder was easily one of the most recognizable members of the Avengers. So, Cami knew practically the minute Thor arrived at the hospital because curious people jammed the hallways, speaking in whispers and passing text messages. In fact, when the new shift nurse came walking in with Cami's painkiller in hand, she also had her cell phone grasped in the other.

The nurse turned up the lights and approached the bed.

"Is the staff sharing pictures of him yet?" Cami asked with a touch of light sarcasm. She didn't even have to explain who she meant because the nurse immediately held up her phone to show a picture of Thor with a regal looking woman dressed in a golden gown standing at his side.

Cami was tempted to laugh at the nurse's enthusiastic grin, but held herself in check. "That's pretty cool," she said, managing to sound almost believable.

Staff members visible through her doorway suddenly froze in their tracks. The sound of camera phones clicking quickly followed. Then Clint, Thor and the woman, who Cami assumed was Queen Frigga, stopped outside her door.

"Thor is my favorite Avenger," the nurse told Cami, staring at her little screen. "I can't believe he's here! He's freakin' hot."

The woman was so entranced with the image on her phone that she was aloof to the tall, blonde Asgardian that stepped into the room behind her.

"Hi, Thor," Cami greeted him loudly.

The nurse stiffened, her face paled and she looked tense enough to vomit on the spot.

"Hello Cami," Thor replied politely. "I was sorry to hear that you were injured."

"Thanks. It comes with the territory, unfortunately."

Slowly the nurse turned to stare at him with wide eyes.

Thor shifted his gaze to her and smiled warmly. "Thank you for tending to my friend."

"Ummm... you're welcome," the nurse uttered, still much too stiff to look natural.

Clint slipped in past Thor and kindly asked that the nurse get an update on Mr. Lukin's status for them. Pulling herself together, the nurse fled.

The queen entered Cami's room, perhaps saving herself from the crowd of gawkers. She took in her surroundings with a stately demeanor as Clint closed the door.

Cami was very grateful that Frigga and Thor had come to see Loki. She was certain he needed the family support.

"Mother, this is Cami Barton," Thor said respectfully.

The queen stepped to Cami's bedside nodding her head in acknowledgement and offering a pleasant smile. She had very long, golden brown hair that looked gorgeous despite being a bit windswept from their flight across the continent. Her features were fair and kind.

"I am Frigga. Thor has told me of your friendship with Loki. He says you champion his efforts to join S.H.I.E.L.D."

Cami was surprised to hear that Thor had spoken about her at all.

"Yes, your majesty. I think Loki will make an excellent agent."

"I am gladdened by your confidence in him," the queen said. "The king and I believe that his time spent here will do him much good."

"Then you're not taking him away?" Cami asked for clarification.

"No. He asked us to come," Thor spoke up. "He told Heimdall he needed to speak to us."

Clint had been standing quietly at the foot of Cami's bed. He quickly asked, "Who is Heimdall?"

Thor explained, "He is the gatekeeper of Asgard. He has the gift to see and hear anyone he wishes within the nine realms."

"Is he listening now?" Cami asked in awe.

"I do not know," Thor said. "Perhaps he is listening; it is rare for my mother to be away from Asgard. Father might have asked him to keep watch over her."

"The king isn't coming?" Cami asked with disappointment.

"My husband had some matters to attend," Queen Frigga said. "He will come if he can. I wished to leave right away. So I traveled with Thor."

The nurse returned, slipping into the room and quickly shutting the door on the people lingering outside. "The doctors have finished with Mr. Lukin's stitches," she reported. "He's resting in recovery for a bit before they move him back to his room."

"May we see him?" Thor asked.

"I think I can get a couple visitors in. He has the other agent with him right now."

"I asked Natasha to stay with him," Clint explained. "We'll clear out of your way though."

Cami signaled Clint closer, mindful of the nurse. "Did you explain to them what is happening to Loki?" she whispered to him.

"They got the short version on the way in," Clint whispered back.

"You'll get his computer for him?" Cami asked.

"Yeah, don't worry."

The nurse pulled the syringe of painkiller from her pocket and injected Cami's line before she could object.

Cami looked at the clock, noting that it was only a couple hours until sunrise. Now she would probably be in a drug-induced sleep until mid morning and she doubted Frigga and Thor would be hanging around that long.

Cami frowned at Clint, who quickly picked up on the situation.

"It's OK," he said. "You really needed the shot. I promise we'll keep you in the loop."

The nurse turned down the lights again and led the group into the crowded hallway.

Cami tried to get comfortable in the bed without moving too much. Then, with no warning, there was a bright, whitish-blue flash in the farthest corner of her room, which momentarily startled and blinded her. She rubbed at her eyes, peering through bright spots of color that might as well of been painted on her eyeballs for all the good it did to try and force them away. Slowly the colors faded and her eyes readjusted to reveal a tall, broad figure in the corner, partially concealed in shadows.

"Who's there?"

"I apologize for my unexpected entrance," a strong, older man's voice said. "Please do not be alarmed. I beg only a few moments of your time." He moved closer, stepping into the light shining in from the hallway. Though he did not wear a crown or helmet, Odin's fine attire, height and wizened features, partly obscured by the metal patch over his right eye, tipped Cami off to his identity.

Many people would have been overwhelmed to be in the presence of the King of Asgard, but as Cami had shown with Queen Frigga and the members of the Avengers, she wasn't easily starstruck.

"No harm done, your majesty," Cami answered politely. "I'm sure it will mean a lot to Loki that you were able to come."

He nodded, then spoke of the matters on his mind.

"My son trusts you," Odin said. "By his very nature, trust doesn't come easily for Loki."

Cami was aware of the strained sentiment on Odin's features. He spoke eloquently, but guarded his words and feelings.

She asked, "Are you worried that I won't be a good friend to him? That I will get him into trouble?"

"No, quite the contrary. I fear that you are the only thing in Midgard he cares enough about to stay out of mischief."

Though her thoughts were starting to become hazy from the drugs, Cami figured that she understood what the king was trying to say. She was in a position to influence Loki's behavior and choices.

"I can't make him like it here. I'm sure it doesn't compare to the grandeur of Asgard where he is the son of a king and a powerful sorcerer. Sometimes I don't like it here either."

"I cannot say with all certainty that Loki likes being in Asgard. It is merely the place he knows more than any other," Odin told her.

"Is there something you're asking me to do?" Cami asked. "Because the Jotun put a spell on him so he can't even talk to me. What more can I do than be tolerant and patient with him?"

Her words made Odin pause for several moments. He pursed his lips and reached up to stroke his beard.

Meanwhile, her eyelids started to feel heavy.

"Can you help him?" Cami finally asked, trying to fight the sleepiness.

"I do not know," he said sadly. "My magic is powerful, Cami, but I failed to detect this spell you speak of, so I probably cannot reverse its effects on Loki."

This news was troubling. How could there be magic more powerful than Odin's in the cosmos?

"You should go see him," Cami suggested. "We gave him a computer so he can type out messages. Perhaps he will tell his family the story behind this spell since he won't tell me."

"I will go," Odin said. "You have my gratitude."

"You're welcome, your majesty," Cami said, feeling that his sentiment was genuine.

Odin gave her a small smile, which she returned drowsily. Then her eyes simply couldn't stay open a moment longer.

* * *

Clint and Natasha leaned against the wall outside the recovery room shoulder-to-shoulder and keeping watch for anyone who lingered too long in the hallway. They were exhausted, yet not likely to be crawling into their beds before the sun came up.

"Cami says she's leaving," Clint uttered suddenly, breaking the silence.

"I think that's a good idea," Natasha said softly.

"She might not come back, though."

"Is that what she said?"

"Yeah."

"Would that be so bad? She's an adult and fully capable of taking care of herself in the real world."

He could have taken her comment so many different ways, but Clint knew she meant it in the most positive light a friend could offer. Nat was never afraid to point out when he wasn't keeping his mind open enough to consider all the facts of a situation.

"I don't know what I expected when I brought her to S.H.I.E.L.D. I thought she needed me, but... "

"Stop right there with the pity party," Nat chastised gently and turned to face him. "You wanted to take care of your sister. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Really, I think I hoped I could make it up to her... all the crap she's had to deal with. That's not how it turned out at all. She said it herself; all we do is fight."

"It's not fighting as much as testing boundaries, in my opinion. You're both trying to figure out how you fit together as a family."

This made sense to Clint. It certainly hadn't escaped his attention that Cami craved interaction, especially when it included Nat and himself. Now, thanks to unexpected circumstances, Cami had pulled Loki into their collective.

"This team is really important to her."

"Yeah, I think so too," Natasha agreed. "Maybe that will be what brings her back."

Clint shrugged. He sure was tired.

"What are we going to do with Loki?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know," Clint said honestly. "I have the feeling he's been through some serious shit the last two years. When I look into his eyes, I don't see the same guy we knew from before in there, you know?"

Natasha seemed to consider his words carefully. "He's been manageable so far, cooperative, helpful... We've even left him alone with Cami more than a few times with hardly a second thought."

"Plus, he handled himself pretty well at the club," Clint said.

"Yeah, he downed Drago and several of his guys with no loss of life," Nat pointed out. "We didn't tell him he should spare lives when possible. He just handled it that way making his own judgments."

"Cami practically ordered me to train him while she's away."

"So... is that what you're planning to do?"

"I'll ask him about it. That's only fair, right?"

The door to the recovery room opened while Natasha was nodding her agreement. To their surprise an older man stepped out of the room with Frigga and Thor. His garments were gold like the queen's and he looked too much like Thor to not be King Odin.

"They are moving him to his room," Thor informed them and the group stood aside to allow the orderlies to wheel Loki's bed out.

He was awake, yet still groggy. Frigga held his computer for him and followed along as the orderlies continued down to his room.

Thor and Odin hung back. "Please, allow me to make further introductions," Thor said. He placed his hand upon Odin's shoulder and gestured to the agents. "Father, this is Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff."

"King Odin," Clint said respectfully, "it is a true honor to make your acquaintance."

"For me as well, Mr. Barton," Odin said, nodding to Clint. Then he turned his attention to Natasha, reaching out to take her hand and raise it to his lips for a gentle kiss. "Finally I get to meet the deadly Black Widow," he said with a smile. "I see Thor has spoken truthfully of your beauty."

Not usually one to lose her cool, Natasha actually blushed a bit. As Odin released her hand, she withdrew it slowly, tucking her hair behind her ear before crossing her arms awkwardly.

"Thank you, your majesty."

Clint thought she looked even more beautiful in those few seconds before she regained her composure.

"Shall we?" Natasha asked, gesturing down the hall where the others had disappeared.

The group met up with Frigga and Loki, filling his room and closing the door for more privacy. Loki was noticeably irritated with all the attention, but too groggy to do much more than shut his eyes or look away from them.

"So," Clint began delicately, "what do we know?"

"This isn't just some spell that can be peeled off or drawn out of him and discarded," Frigga said with a concerned frown. She took Loki's arm, indicating the scars. Her tone turned graver as she said, "This is blood magic. Loki has been cursed."

"Why? For revenge?" Nat asked.

"Loki cannot tell us," Thor said. "Even with the computer you gave him, the curse bars him from disclosing who did this to him or why."

"A wielder of shadow magic could put such a limitation on someone," Odin informed them, "as shadows are often used to conceal truths."

"Jotun are not natural spell casters. I know of no frost giant that can cast both blood and shadow magic," Frigga said, "yet someone has combined both crafts."

"Then perhaps that is the clue we need to unravel this mystery," Thor said.

Natasha asked, "So, the curse can't be removed?"

"I will have to search the texts and scrolls in the city and palace libraries," Frigga said. "Perhaps I will find something."

"Is Loki going to be safe as long as he doesn't talk then?" Clint asked next.

Even Loki wanted to know the answer to this question bad enough to open his eyes and focus on the group once again.

The Asgardians exchanged long, meaningful glances before Odin finally answered.

"Unfortunately, we cannot promise that. Whomever placed the curse on him can probably change how it affects him by doing a new ritual."

"Should we take him home?" Frigga asked Odin. "Perhaps we can protect him."

Odin shook his head. "He has obligations here. We made a promise to the people of Midgard that he would serve them."

Clint could see the turmoil in Frigga's eyes as she nodded a silent agreement. She would not argue with Odin in the mixed company.

"Shall I stay with him?" Thor asked his parents.

Loki grasped Frigga's hand, shaking his head at her and scowling.

"Are you sure?" she asked Loki with a sympathetic tone.

He pointed to the computer in her lap, which she handed to him. He typed something then held it out to her.

Clint leaned forward to read the text.

[I am not a child. Thor can tend to his own business.]

The queen read this message aloud with a disapproving frown.

"Those are his wishes," Odin said with an air of finality. "We will respect them."

Loki typed another message on the computer. His expression softened from its earlier agitation as the queen and Clint read the message silently first.

[Please take Cami to Asgard to heal.]

After the queen shared this request with the others, Clint turned to look directly at Odin.

"Would you consider it, your majesty?" Clint asked. He was trying not to show too much sentiment, but he was weary and almost desperate for an easier fix to Cami's troubles. "She wants to be a field agent, but these injuries are going to set her back a while. I honestly don't know if she'll ever finish her training if she gets pulled from the program now."

"The easiest route is rarely the correct one," Odin said wisely, speaking both to Clint and Loki. "However, in this case, I feel I owe her a debt. So, I will allow it."

"Thank you," Clint said, feeling much more hopeful than he had since first learning the severity of Cami's injuries.

"We appreciate your generosity," Natasha said, addressing the royal family as a whole.

"It will be our pleasure," Queen Frigga said with a smile. "Cami is delightful."

Clint had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from chuckling. Delightful certainly wasn't the word he would have chosen to describe his sister.

"What arrangements should we make?" Natasha asked.

"It might be difficult to get Cami to the bifrost site when she hasn't been cleared to travel," Clint said.

"We won't take her through the bifrost in her delicate condition," Odin said. "I'll transport her the same way I arrived."

"Nat," Clint said, "do you want to help her get ready?"

"Yeah, sure." Natasha moved toward the door.

"I'll help as well," Queen Frigga said, rising from the chair. With only a few long strides, she caught up with Natasha in the hallway.

"Thor," Odin said, "I will take Cami and the queen with me. I'm sure there are some old friends that you would like to visit on Midgard before returning home - particularly your Miss Foster."

While this suggestion obviously pleased Thor, Clint noted Loki rolling his eyes.

Thor did not notice his adopted brother's reaction, which was probably for the best. Thor said his farewells and headed out, leaving Odin and Clint alone with Loki.

"I can step out if you two want to talk in private," Clint offered.

Loki was staring at his blankets and made no attempt to gesture or express any sort of a response.

Odin stood tall and silent for several moments, also evaluating Loki's reaction. Then he said to Clint, "I do not believe that will be necessary. It appears that my son has other things on his mind at the moment."

"Hey, I can understand," Clint said. "I've been kind of hard on him lately and now that Cami's going to be in Asgard, Loki's probably not looking forward to my company."

"I see," Odin said, nodding. His tone and expression were fairly straightforward, but there was a twinkle of amusement in his eye that indicated to Clint that the king knew what he was attempting to do.

"Cami thinks I should train him as a field operative, but I don't know. It will take a lot of work and he might not feel up to it."

Loki was back to rolling his eyes when Clint peeked in his direction.

"What?" Clint asked. "You aren't interested in being a field agent, are ya? I mean, we do get to travel all over the world and test out the latest and greatest tech, weapons and gear, but we also put up with a lot of shit like lack of sleep, working holidays and getting beat up a lot. The hazard pay kind of sucks too."

That did it. Loki reached for his computer, swiftly typing out a response with great agitation.

[Your childish attempt to goad my interest is superfluous. I have little choice in the matter. Your sister has made her wishes known, and I have yet to see one instance since I arrived when she did not eventually get her way.]

Now Clint had to laugh out loud because Loki had a valid point.


	13. Chapter 13

_I'm blown away by the support everyone has shown for this story. I know I've kept you waiting for this chapter and I am truly sorry. Some chapters are just harder to write than others._

_Thanks to Ellize Avalon (who I know I've disappointed :( ), kaayrakoi, loki's valkyrie, featherstone5725, KaityMaxz, sv4me, Wolfstar04, xSnowWhiteQu33n, Princess of Asgard, and pingothepenguin for reviewing. Reviews are my lifeline. I love ya to pieces! _

Mischief Makers – Chapter Thirteen:

Clint had promised to keep Cami in the loop about the happenings while she was unconscious. So, when Cami awoke she badly needed an explanation. She was no longer in the hospital, completely nude and stretched out on her stomach on a padded bench.

"My apologies, dear," Frigga said, sitting at her side to apply a pungent cream to her wounds. "Loki requested that we bring you to Asgard to heal. Since Odin and your brother both approved, we didn't wait to get your consent when waking you proved difficult."

This room was much larger than her hospital room had been with gold walls and deep red furniture and tapestries. Decorative wall sconces and braziers on pedestals provided the only light for the room as there were no windows.

There was also a pool of bubbling water nearby that held Cami's gaze for several moments while her brain tried to comprehend the change in her surroundings.

A dark-haired woman dressed in light brown cloth and leather garments stepped into Cami's view.

"This is Sif," Frigga said. "She is a friend of my sons and will assist me with your care."

Cami would have been more embarrassed about her lack of clothing if she wasn't so disoriented. She nodded at Sif then asked, "What is this place?"

"This is the healing room," Sif explained. "The pool has special properties. We use the water to make medicines."

Sif moved forward, and then eased onto her knees beside the divan. "I have heard great tales of your brother's heroism and skill with the bow from Thor," she told Cami. "I hear you are a warrior as well."

Cami laughed. "Not a very good one," she admitted. "That's what got me in this mess."

Sif's gaze skimmed over Cami's exposed backside. "These are drag wounds," she noted with a frown.

Cami considered explaining the situation, but didn't know the best way to describe what asphalt was to them when she couldn't concentrate very well.

Frigga said, "Sif, now that Cami is awake, I must speak with her alone."

"Yes, your majesty. I was pleased that you requested my help." Then to Cami, Sif said, "I hope to speak with you again." With a respectful bow of her head, she departed.

Cami rolled carefully onto her side as the queen draped a silky sheet over her then moved to where Cami could see her more easily.

"We have determined that Loki has been cursed," Frigga said. "It is our belief that the spell on him is of both blood and shadow magic, which is a very distinct combination."

She wouldn't have known how serious the situation was if she hadn't read the worry in Frigga's kind eyes.

"Did he tell you who put the curse on him?" Cami asked hopefully.

"No. The curse limits him from telling us that."

"Is there anything I can do?" Cami asked, though she doubted she had the knowledge or any skill that would be useful against a curse.

"I think you are already doing all that you can do," the queen said. "Your friendship with Loki gives him comfort, which I'm sure he needs."

"I think it might soon be more than just a friendship. He... kissed me," Cami admitted, feeling a bit nervous when the queen's features brightened with interest.

Frigga said, "This is welcome news. Loki has not been happy in a very long time."

"Well, relationships in Midgard can be complicated. He's got so much going on that I don't want to be one more thing that adds to his stress."

"Though I realize that you will be compelled to return home as soon as you can, perhaps you will consider staying for a while to get to know his friends and the way his life is here. It would help you understand him better."

"That sounds very well-intentioned, your majesty, but you're basically asking me to spy around for information on Loki," Cami said, "which is something I don't want to do. I am learning everything I really need to know just by being with him."

"Are you sure you understand Loki as well as you believe you do?" Frigga asked gently.

The queen was the cunning sort. Cami knew the game she played - even if her intent was not malicious.

Cami replied, "I might work for an organization that makes it their business to know everyone else's, but personally I would rather he told me what he wanted me to know than to sneak around behind his back. I can't afford to do that to him."

There was no anger or disappointment on her features.

"If Loki could be here and unhindered in his words, I think there is much he would choose to share with you."

"I've found so far," Cami said, "that Loki is getting better at telling me what he wants me to know without the use of words."

"Like that kiss you mentioned."

Cami smiled slyly, but considered the topic closed.

She slept very little through the passing hours after the queen's departure. Though her wounds were numb from the medicine and she was plenty warm enough, she was unable to get comfortable in the strange place with her worries so stirred up.

She was drowsily gazing into the flames of the closest brazier when Sif returned with a tray of food.

"Did you sleep alright?" Sif asked.

"I've been awake for hours, it seems," Cami said truthfully. "What time is it?"

"It is morning. I have brought you some breakfast." Sif laid the tray carefully on the floor beside Cami's resting place before seating herself. "The queen requested that I keep you company."

"Are you the only woman warrior in Asgard?" Cami asked Sif. She thought she might have read something to that fact at some point.

"There are a few others," Sif said. "I train those who wish to learn."

"Asgardians start training as kids, right?"

"Traditionally, but not everyone trains in the art of war. Our city would not thrive without the skills of many different masters."

"Before I joined S.H.I.E.L.D., I was a dancer," Cami decided to share. "It was something I wanted to do since I was young, but didn't get much support until I was older."

"Why did you leave it?"

"My dancing eventually got me in trouble," Cami said with a frown. "So, Clint had me join S.H.I.E.L.D."

"You are not happy there?"

That was a difficult question to answer. If anything, her time in field training had opened doors of opportunity and knowledge to her that wouldn't have been as likely if she'd stayed a civilian. Still, she didn't see herself pledging the rest of her life to S.H.I.E.L.D. either.

"I've learned some things about myself that were surprising," she admitted to Sif, "and some that were disappointing."

"King Odin says it is a fool that finds fault only with others and never with himself," Sif said.

Cami smiled. "That sounds like something Director Fury would say. Only I think it would have a few touches of profanity. I bet he and the king could have entertaining debates."

The fresh fruit, meats and pastries on the tray did look very tempting. So, Cami reached down and took a plump pink and green fruit that had a bell shape. She bit into it, finding that it was very juicy and smelled and tasted like a rose.

"Mmm. That's really good," she said.

"Thor likes rose apples best," Sif told Cami. "Loki told me that they first grew in some regions of Midgard. Then Thor brought some samplings to Asgard to be grown here."

"You've known Thor and Loki a long time, huh?" Cami asked, already sensing the answer.

"Very long," was the warrior's strained reply, implying that Cami's question had struck a nerve. Possibly, it got tiresome hanging out with the brothers all the time.

"You have other friends, I'm sure," Cami added.

"Of course, Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg have been our companions for years."

While the women had breakfast and Sif tended to her wounds, Cami got the full rundown on the Warriors Three, as seen through Sif's colorful and sometimes conflicted perceptions of their antics.

"At least they're loyal to you," Cami pointed out after listening with amusement to Sif's stories for a while.

"They are indeed. I hope you are feeling much improved soon. I would like to introduce them to you," Sif said.

"I'm looking forward to it," Cami said truthfully. "I bet they have great stories to share too."

"Their tales become more embellished with each telling," Sif told Cami. "You will see."

* * *

It was the evening of Cami's third day in the healing room, following the removal of her stitches and a hot, satisfying bath, that Sif brought her a light blue gown with long, silky sleeves and a full skirt. Since she had been able to sit up and move about with only minimal pain; she was being invited to join in a gathering for Thor and his friends.

"When did Thor get back?" Cami asked, slipping into the undergarments, gown and shoes Sif provided.

"This morning," Sif said, carefully tightening the laces on the dress. "The queen said he's been in a poor mood. She suggested this small gathering to cheer him."

Sif was also dressed up for the occasion. She was wearing a long red gown with gold accents. She looked lovely, yet not exactly comfortable in the restrictive finery.

"If we hurry, Queen Frigga said she would do our hair before the party," Sif said, smiling to convey that this was to be considered a special treat.

Cami followed Sif out of the healing room and through the palace, racing to keep up with her long strides. Sif was at least 5'9" tall with long legs. Cami was only 5'4" so she figured she had to be working twice as hard to keep the pace. By the time they reached the king and queen's private suite, Cami was panting for breath and her body was aching some - especially her foot.

"Come in girls," Frigga called from a room adjacent to the entry. "Let me see you."

Now that they weren't rushing along, Cami took the opportunity to actually look around at the splendor of the palace decor as Sif pulled her into the queen's presence.

Frigga was seated at an elegantly carved vanity, removing ribbons and jeweled clips from her long hair. She caught a glimpse of them in her large oval mirror and turned in her seat.

"Cami dear, you are flushed," she said with concern and gestured for her to come closer. Gratefully, the queen didn't appear to be holding a grudge over the request she'd made that Cami had refused.

"I was running," Cami explained, stepping into Frigga's reach. "Your castle is immense, your majesty."

Frigga glanced at Sif disapprovingly at this news, but offered Cami only a smile. "It is quite large, but is home to many servants and a gathering place for the people of Asgard."

Sif fetched some short, padded stools, placing one directly in front of the queen. Then Frigga drew Cami over to sit on the stool facing her, their knees touching, so she could actively examine her.

_Guess this is where Loki gets his tendency to stare, _Cami thought after several moments passed in silence.

"What do you think, Sif?" the queen finally asked, reaching out to pat and fluff Cami's hair. "Pull it all up or leave some down?"

"She still has the remnants of those scratches on her neck," Sif pointed out. "Perhaps we should leave some of her hair down."

Frigga looked to confirm that the scratches caused by Anna had not completely healed over yet. With a dissatisfied click of her tongue, Frigga uttered something about forgetting to apply some medicine to them earlier and then reached for a broad silver hair brush.

Cami turned around, trying to keep her posture tall and straight as any good dancer would while the queen drew the brush through her medium brown tresses. After three days of rest in the healing room and the bath, her hair had tangled itself up quite nicely, yet Frigga was skilled at working through these complications with minimal discomfort to Cami's scalp.

Cami was reminded of the days when Joyce Murphy, her last foster mom, had helped her get ready for drill team and ballroom dance competitions. By then Cami had been plenty old enough to do it herself, but she liked the strong yet soothing strokes of the brush and Joyce's long fingers gathering and styling her hair.

"That is a far away look," Sif commented to Cami. "I can't tell if you're thinking about something happy or sad."

"A little of both. No one has done my hair for me in a while," Cami admitted as the images of the past dissolved.

"Being a mother to only boys has its disadvantages," Frigga said. "Sif and some of the other young ladies are generous enough to let me pamper them on occasion."

Out of the corner of her eye, Cami noticed movement in the doorway.

Sif looked that direction, jumping to her feet to perform a curtsy. She said, "Good evening, my king."

"Good evening to you as well, Sif," Odin replied. "I see Cami is finally out of the healing room."

"I do not think she is quite ready to return to her S.H.I.E.L.D. duties," Frigga said, beginning to separate the strands of Cami's long bangs to braid them. "She favors her injured foot."

Odin stepped into the room, moving around to where Cami could look upon him in his grand armor and cape.

"Are you off to battle, your majesty?" she asked.

"Not at all," Odin replied. "I have returned from a conference with my envoys and inquirers. I have asked them to take note of any information pertaining to the recent use of certain types of magic within the realms."

It hadn't occurred to Cami until that moment that King Odin would have his own network of spies and informants.

"Thor is having a gathering tonight," Frigga told Odin. "Can you escort the girls to his dining room?"

"I certainly can," Odin said. "Call for me when they are ready to depart."

"Thank you, your majesty," Sif and Cami said together, and then exchanged smiles as the King strode off.

"Sif, choose a pearl string from the upper right drawer there," Queen Frigga said, indicating the large jewelry box at the far end of the vanity. "Pearls will look lovely braided into Cami's hair."

Sif looked over the selection in the box and drew out an especially long string of bright, white pearls.

In no time, Cami's hair was done in a style known as a cascading crown as the braid circled the top back of her head. She liked the look, especially with the pearls and the splendor of her blue gown.

_Wow! I kind of look like a princess, _she thought, feeling intrigued and freaked out at the same time as she admired herself in the large mirror.

Like most little girls, she'd been convinced by media and marketing that she wanted to be a princess when she grew up, but life had a way of ruining all childhood dreams with harsh reality. For instance, her parents were dead and definitely not royalty. Kings and queens rarely participated in the foster care program. And finally, there just weren't enough princes in the world for all those princess wannabes to marry.

Cami turned away from the mirror to watch the queen expertly tame Sif's long, thick mane into a work of art with spiral lace braids intertwined with gold ribbons.

"This might be a weird question," Cami said, "but do either of you know why Loki thinks piggy tails are so funny?"

Frigga finished her work and patted Sif's hair gently. "A pig's tail?" she asked with confusion.

Cami didn't want to demonstrate and possibly ruin her own hairdo. "It's a hairstyle," she said, "but not important."

With the addition of some light color to their eyelids, lips and cheeks, Frigga announced the girls ready for the party. She walked them out to the entry then went to find Odin, calling for him as she moved deeper into their suite.

"What becoming creatures," the king said upon his arrival, stopping mid-stride to admire Sif and Cami who grinned and thanked him in return.

Frigga came up beside him, smiling at his compliment. "Yes, they are," she agreed. "Now get them delivered before the boys begin to complain of their tardiness."

Very much a gentleman, Odin offered them each an arm as servants held open the large double doors for them to pass through.

Considering the size of the castle, the walk to Thor's suite was relatively short. Thor had left his door open, so Odin walked them through the entry and into the dining room where the men were gathered and already drinking, feasting, talking and laughing.

Clearing his throat loudly, Odin broke up their revelry. The men abandoned their chairs to bow to him.

"I bring you Lady Sif and Miss Cami Barton," Odin announced. "See that they are delivered safely home at a decent hour."

There were promises offered then Thor came forward to take them from Odin.

"You both look very beautiful," Thor told them, his brilliant blue eyes alight with earnest admiration.

"Sif, help me with the introductions," he said, pulling them toward the table where the other men were waiting.

Cami already knew so much about the Warriors Three from Sif, that she could have guessed their names based solely on appearance. She greeted each man in turn, accepting a friendly nod from Hogun, a smile from Volstagg and an almost seductive kiss on her hand from Fandral. All the men towered over her.

As the group settled around the table to continue the feasting, Thor felt he should elaborate on Cami's simple introduction.

"Cami is the younger sister of Clint Barton, the Hawkeye," he told the men.

"Are you a master of the bow as well?" Hogun immediately asked Cami.

"No." Cami shook her head. "He's never tried to teach me the bow." She tried not to take it personally that people always assumed she'd be exactly like Clint.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has many types of warriors," Thor told them. "Cami is training to be what they call a field agent."

"What is that exactly?" Fandral asked, looking between Thor and Cami.

Cami balked, searching for the right terms that wouldn't be confusing to non-Midgardians.

"May I attempt to explain?" Thor asked her.

"Please do." Cami was interested to hear Thor's take on what Clint and Natasha did.

"Field agents are much more than warriors. They must be scouts, emissaries, performers, craftsmen, sages, inquirers and even executioners at times."

Cami thought this explanation was quite thorough and bolstering.

"That is very impressive," Fandral said and the others agreed. "You must have been training since you were quite young, Cami."

"Ummm... actually, it hasn't even been a year since I joined S.H.I.E.L.D.," she said, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "It takes years for field agents to get really good in all the areas. Though, most never try to become masters at everything. We usually band together in teams so we can support each other with the skills we do know well."

"Cami is on a team with Hawkeye, Black Widow and Loki," Thor interjected with visible pride.

Everyone seemed very impressed by this fact.

"How is Loki?" Hogun asked, as if he had been waiting for the topic to be introduced.

"Loki is doing well," Thor answered with some hesitation. "He is making new friends and learning the ways of Midgard. Cami has been helping him."

"That is splendid to hear," Volstagg said merrily in his deep, rich voice and raising his cup as if to toast. He then took a large chug of his drink that spilled over the edges some and into his long, thick beard.

"I've rarely known Loki to ask for or accept help," Hogun said, looking skeptical.

Fandral chuckled lightly. "It's not like he has much choice now - considering his condition."

Cami instantly felt her face flush with heat. "I'm sorry," she said barely loud enough for her voice to carry the width of the table. "What do you mean by that?"

Sif, who was filling Cami's plate with samples of the local delicacies suddenly stiffened and Thor, who was sitting on Cami's left, stopped drinking.

Fandral's smile faded and he paused before responding. "I was referring to the loss of his magic. He relied on it so heavily. I assumed..."

"He lost his magic two years ago," Cami interrupted him, trying to keep her emotions from stirring up a frenzy within her. "S.H.I.E.L.D. chose to recruit Loki because he has plenty of other strengths and skills that we need."

Cami stole a glance at Thor. He looked a bit tense and not happy at all.

_How much has he told them_? she wondered.

"I apologize," Fandral said, sounding surprised and uncomfortable. "It is often our way to tease each other. I didn't think."

Cami shook her head mindlessly, wondering how often the group had made Loki feel unwanted and no one had stood up for him - even Thor. Cami found herself staring at the food Sif had put on her plate, which would have looked appetizing under different circumstances.

"Loki is going to be a great field agent," Cami continued, wishing to make her point. "He already caught an extremely dangerous criminal and saved my life on his very first mission."

Sif said gently, "Please tell us this tale. We would like to hear it."

The Warriors Three were staring at Cami, making it hard for her to process her own thoughts and feelings. Maybe she did want to tell them the story of Drago's club, but there was a warning in Thor's eyes that she could tell was meant to keep her silent.

"I'm sorry," she said again, "but I..." She climbed out of the chair, nearly tripping over it in the rush. "I think I should go."

Thor and Sif both got up from the table.

"Sif, wait here," Thor ordered gruffly. "I will speak with her in private."

"She is upset," Sif insisted, following them into the entry.

Thor caught up with Cami, grabbing her arm and forcing her to stop. "Cami, we must speak," he said. His tone was anxious and foreshadowed with anger.

Cami felt a lecture coming on and she didn't feel like she'd done anything wrong.

"Let go of me," Cam said, trying to sound braver than she felt. Thor's size alone made him intimidating, plus his hand was starting to clench painfully around her upper arm.

Sif grabbed Thor's wrist. "What is wrong with you?" she demanded. "You will hurt her."

"Go back to the table, Sif," Thor said again, leveling her with a steely gaze. "This is family business."

"No. I think perhaps you have had too much wine," Sif challenged.

Volstagg stepped into the doorway of the dining room, blocking it off with his immense frame. Fandral and Hogun were behind him straining to see over his broad shoulders.

Tears brought on by pain and fear came quickly to sting Cami's eyes and slide down her flushed cheeks. Though she believed Sif was a great warrior, Cami doubted she could best Thor if this confrontation came to blows.

"You are a bully and a very poor brother," Cami accused Thor. "The Jotun are stronger and bigger than Loki and you let your friends joke because he couldn't defend himself without magic. The Jotun abused and mistreated him while you drank your wines and told your tales of glory."

"This is neither the time nor company for this conversation," Thor said, leaning closer. "Think before you speak further." His breath smelled foul from liquor.

Volstagg moved from the doorway to Thor's side with one long step. He dropped his meaty paw heavily upon the prince's shoulder. "Thor, would you dare threaten the sister of your good friend Hawkeye?" he asked.

To Cami's surprise, Thor released her and turned away from his shocked friends. He looked at a loss for words.

Cami immediately spun around and ran from the room. Now that her tears were flowing, embarrassment would not let her be caught - even by the swift-footed Sif. She chose random corridors, skirting servants until she finally took refuge in an armoire in some unoccupied bedroom. Then she drew up her knees, buried her face in her skirt and bawled.

Thor found Cami several minutes later, but he was not the one who pulled her from the armoire and into a strong, comforting embrace.

"Go back to your friends," Odin told Thor as he cradled Cami. His tone was firm, but not accusing. "Tell them to repeat nothing they have heard tonight. I will speak with them in the morning."

"Yes, Father," Thor said solemnly.

Odin walked Cami from that cold, dark bedchamber and through the palace to a new room. With a snap of the king's fingers, fires sparked within the wall sconces and braziers, bringing light and warmth to an entry which honestly looked much the same as any other Cami had seen in the palace thus far.

"Perhaps you would prefer to stay here tonight," King Odin said.

"Why? Where are we?" Cami asked, stepping forward a few paces.

"These are Loki's rooms."

She stopped and turned back to the king. "Then I definitely shouldn't be here," Cami said. "This is his private space. I tried to tell the queen..."

"I know," Odin said. "Frigga told me about her request to you."

"Then why did you bring me here?"

"Because you are sad and missing him."

"He isn't here, your majesty," Cami insisted. "He is in Midgard with my friends and my brother."

"We leave parts of ourselves wherever we go and with every interaction. You were in the company of Loki's friends for mere minutes and yet they upset you so. Why?"

Cami's gaze dropped to the floor. "I'm sure Thor explained."

"He did, but only from his point of view, which was hindered by too much drink. I wish to hear yours."

"I was angry that Fandral laughed at Loki and thought he was useless without his magic," Cami said, feeling the emotion bite at her insides, threatening to build up and overcome her again.

"What else?" he gently prodded.

Cami searched her thoughts trying to unravel the complexity of the emotions. "I felt he was cruel to speak that way in light of the treatment Loki received in the Odenheim."

"Fandral didn't know," Odin said. "Frigga, Thor and I decided to keep Loki's injuries a secret. Heimdall was the only other in Asgard that knew."

The hot emotion inside her stung even more as it cooled. "Then you were protecting his privacy and I just blurted it out."

"You felt the desire to defend him," Odin said. "It would have come out eventually, Cami. The royal family of Asgard does not get the luxury of having many secrets."

"You haven't told everyone about him being Jotun or having this curse," Cami guessed.

"That is true. When Thor told Nick Fury of Loki's true parentage, he immediately regretted it because it became public knowledge amongst those who work for S.H.I.E.L.D."

Cami turned back to look at the closed doors off the entry. She tried not to think about the treasures that might be found beyond - things that were special to Loki that he was forcibly parted from now. Of course, she didn't know for certain that he valued objects over anything else.

"I grew up in other people's homes, but not as part of their families," Cami told Odin, not sure what direction her thoughts were going as she spoke. "I never had my own room until the Murphys took me in. It was my personal space and they respected my privacy. After five years with them, I guess I thought they might actually adopt me, but they let me leave with Clint instead."

"Did they love you?"

"Yeah, I know they did."

"Then that is why they let you go," Odin said wisely.

Cami felt close to the king in those moments. He'd comforted and listened to her and not been stern - even if she might have deserved it after her blunder.

"I can't go in there," she said decisively and walked out into the corridor.

Odin put out the fires then escorted her back to the healing room for the night.

* * *

Sif was in a sad and humbled mood when she arrived to have breakfast with Cami the next morning. She'd just left a meeting with the king and queen where some truths about Loki had been disclosed and she had made promises to be discrete with that information.

Sif chose not to discuss her feelings with Cami, other than to say, "Loki has teased me incessantly over the years and acted jealous and spiteful at times, but I never wished such horrible things to happen to him."

After they'd eaten and Sif had rubbed some medicine into Cami's wounds, the warrior encouraged her to get dressed in her S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. "We're going to train this morning," Sif said, shedding her gloom for a small smile. "Have you ever used a stave?"

"No," Cami admitted. "I can't even get past hand-to-hand combat training back home."

"Fighting with a weapon is sometimes easier than without," Sif assured her and hurried Cami along to the training grounds just outside the palace.

The staff Sif gave Cami was smaller and lighter compared to the others displayed on the racks. Once Cami had the grip down, Sif started showing her some simple moves and having her try them on the training dummies, which were wooden posts with stuffed grain sacks tied to them to loosely resemble a person's form.

Working with Sif proved much more relaxed than her classes back at the helicarrier. It must have helped that there weren't people standing around, judging every little move she made. Plus, Sif had been right about it being easier to attack with the staff than with her bare hands.

"Very good, keep at it," Sif encouraged Cami as she got more and more confident with her strikes. "I can see the fluid motion of your dancing in your attacks. You have strong limbs and torso muscles. Harness that power. Don't hesitate or hold back."

They were still terrorizing target dummies when Thor and the Warriors Three dropped by about midday.

"You are a fierce little thing, Cami Barton," Volstagg called out as the foursome approached.

Cami lowered the staff and wiped at the sweat on her forehead and cheeks.

"I agree," Sif said, beaming with pride. "I think I might get her a sword to practice with tomorrow."

"I do not think she will have much use for a sword in Midgard," Hogun said.

"We've come to invite you both to join us for a picnic," Thor said, holding up a large basket in his hand. "Of course, we will understand if you choose to decline."

Volstagg also had a basket, which was much larger than the one in Thor's possession. Fandral carried the blankets and Hogun had a couple of corked jugs.

"I can tell food is a very big deal around here," Cami said. "I suppose we can join you if Sif wants to."

It turns out that Sif did want to, so the group wandered down into the palace gardens to relax in the shade of the trees. Cami trailed behind the others, admiring the unusual, yet beautiful and fragrant flower species growing around them. By the time she reached the trees, using her staff as a walking stick, the others were starting in on the food.

"Cami, may we speak of last night?" Fandral asked as Cami seated herself between him and Sif on the blankets. "I do wish to apologize again." This time his expression and tone showed true remorse.

"Thank you, Fandral. I appreciate it, but I assumed you knew more than you did."

"Even so," Hogun interjected, "we have made it a habit to speak disrespectfully to each other and about each other- even if just in jest. Odin wishes us to be less that way."

"Now that they are aware of Loki's situation," Thor said after a moment. "I think you should tell us about Loki's first mission."

While she tried to decide where to begin her tale, Cami took a roll offered by Sif, ripped it open with her fingers and dropped some pieces of flavored meat into it for a sandwich.

"Well...you see, Loki and I were sharing my bed," she said in a purposely nonchalant tone, "when there was a knock on my door."

Hogun nearly choked on his drink, which caused Thor to laugh.

"Wait," Sif said, reaching out to touch Cami's knee with a stunned-silly look on her features. "You said you were sharing a bed with Loki?"

"Indeed, I heard that too," Fandral said. "I did not know this was to be a love story."

Volstagg was piling meat on his own makeshift sandwich. "So, how did you two end up in the bed? It seems that would be a more fitting place to begin."

Cami chuckled, pleased that she'd caused such an uproar. "Loki had just been discharged from the hospital. He was tired and had nowhere else to sleep yet. So, I let him nap on my bed."

"With you?" Thor clarified.

"Yes, but it was innocent."

"We must believe you if that is what truthfully happened," Fandral said, clearly choosing to believe otherwise. "Please continue."

"Like I said before, there was a knock on my door. It was a messenger with some communication devices for us. That's when we found out that Clint and Natasha had been called far away to Washington D.C. on a mission. They wanted us to join them there so we could look for a young woman that had gone missing."

"Ah, it was a rescue mission then," Hogun said.

"Yes, it was," Cami confirmed. "So, Loki and I flew to Washington D.C. and met up with Clint and Natasha."

"Did they know who had taken the girl?" Sif asked.

"They didn't know for sure, but there was evidence that it was a man named Victor Drago, who many believed had done many terrible things in his life - including stealing girls and selling them as slaves for men's pleasure."

Cami watched the group's expressions darken as they took in this fact.

"So, what did you do?" Sif prodded.

"We made a plan to infiltrate his evil lair. Loki's mind is very keen and able to remember large amounts of written information. So, he read everything S.H.I.E.L.D. had learned about Drago. Then he and Natasha dressed in fine clothes like Drago's friends would wear to fool him into thinking they could be trusted.

"That is a very wise course of action," Hogun said approvingly.

"We had to make Drago believe that Loki had slave girls of his own and wanted to obtain more. So, my job was to pretend to be one of his pleasure slaves." Cami gestured to her uniform. "Obviously, clothes like this wouldn't have convinced Drago. I had to get a special outfit that hardly covered anything. I was basically naked."

Fandral leaned back against the trunk of the nearest tree, smiling, but trying not to get caught doing it. "Were there other un-clothed females there? Did Drago have many slave girls?"

"Oh yeah. He had dozens of girls serving and dancing for him and his friends."

Hogun did not seem as interested in the girls as Fandral. "You did not say what Hawkeye was doing."

Cami explained, "Because Clint had known Drago from his past, he could not go with us. Drago would have recognized him and known we weren't his friends after all. Clint was watching over us from a distance and listening to us through our communication devices."

Realizing that she had them hanging on her every word, Cami did embellish things a little bit as she described kissing Loki to 'keep up appearances' all the way through the events leading up to Loki speaking his first words to her.

"I didn't know he was cursed and shouldn't talk. So when I ran to him and found he was bleeding, I thought he'd been shot by Vahdati," Cami explained. "Then Captain America and Iron Man showed up to help Clint and Natasha fight Drago's henchmen while Loki and I went to the hospital."

"When did Loki catch the very bad man Drago?" Hogun asked.

"Not until the next day when he remembered what he'd read about Drago's shoulder. Loki knew where Drago had gone to get his shoulder healed when he was younger. He told Clint and Natasha and they were able to capture him there before he could get away again."

"That was an exciting story," Volstagg said. "I can see how telling us would have been difficult if we didn't know some of the things we do now."

Everyone else agreed.

"Do your people trust him?" Fandral asked with care. "After all he did to them?"

"Not everyone. I think it does help that he's been so..." She couldn't think of the right word.

"Unlike himself?" Thor offered with sad eyes. "You didn't know him before. So, you wouldn't see it like the rest of us. He's a changed man, Cami, and not necessarily all for the better."

"Why do you say that? Surely we'll find a way to lift the curse and he'll be able to talk again."

"His scars run much deeper than his flesh," Thor said. "When he attacked the Earth, he was arrogant, confrontational and fearless. Can you tell me truthfully that he displays those traits now."

"Perhaps in small amounts," Cami was quick to respond. "He's been through a lot though."

"Yes, he has, but we have to be prepared for the possibility that there is still more going on here than we know."

"Do you think it is a trick?" Hogun asked Thor. "Loki playing us all for fools?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," Fandral said. "Though this whole thing seems like a pretty elaborate hoax, even for Loki."

"We should not make assumptions," Sif scolded them. "We have no evidence that he is lying to anyone."

"It's hard to tell a lie when you can't talk," Cami said firmly. "Maybe I'm the ultimate fool here, but... I have no reason not to believe him."

Volstagg smiled at her and said, "We hope that never changes."

* * *

Cami spent two more days training with the staff and running about the castle grounds with the gang before she found herself back in the presence of the king and queen.

"Thor tells us that you feel ready to return home," Frigga said after inviting her into the royal suite and going right to work on her hair with the silver brush.

Odin was reading in the corner chair, but put aside his scroll to give Cami his attention.

"Yes. My scars are faint and almost gone," Cami told them.

"Then why not wait another day or two and be done with them altogether?" Frigga asked gently. "We have so enjoyed your visit."

"Your medicines have done wonders," Cami said with appreciation, "and I've enjoyed myself too." She met Odin's gaze and couldn't help frowning a bit. "I really do need to get back to classes and Loki and my brother."

"We're not keeping you prisoner," Odin said. "If it is your wish to go, then we will have Thor take you right away."

Cami was glad to hear this, but her mind was already switching concerns. "Thor told me there is a law against humans coming to Asgard."

Having finally completed the brushing, Frigga began separating Cami's hair for a braid. She focused on this task rather than respond.

Odin, however, said softly, "That is true. If I had carried you through the bifrost, Heimdall would have barred us from crossing the bridge into Asgard."

"Loki asked you to break the law and you did it. Why?"

"The universe is changing. Midgard is the youngest of the realms. Now that your people are advanced in the ways of science and war and believing in the lore of your ancestors again, the time has come to forge alliances between the realms. Asgard must play host to these peaceful negotiations. This I knew as soon as we began the efforts to rebuild the bifrost."

"Does that mean I might see you all again sometime? Cause I'd really like to."

Frigga said with a light-hearted chuckle, "Of course you will, dear. The way Thor speaks of you and Clint, you're practically members of the family."


	14. Chapter 14

_Be forewarned that this chapter flips between Loki and Clint's points of view. This was necessary to convey the scenes in the way they were intended without splitting them up into mini-chapters._

_Thanks for the kind words of encouragement from Sophia Alice Rosalie Potter, Ellize Avalon, sv4me, featherstone5725, harma333, pingothepenguin, and Texas Shewolf. I love to hear from you._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Fourteen:

Loki wanted out of the hospital in the worst way. So he staged his own protest. After he refused to eat, take his medications, stay in bed, change out of his uniform, or follow the tidbits of medical advice doled out by practically everyone from the doctors down to the cleaning staff, Clint and Natasha had him discharged and immediately transported back to the helicarrier.

Upon their return, Fury ordered them to get moved into the team suite on the third level as soon as possible. He also had a full agenda of items to discuss with Natasha and Clint. So, Loki's 'keepers' didn't even have time to pack up their belongings before they were called away to a long meeting.

This left Loki alone to direct the cleaning staff who had been tasked to assist with the move-in efforts. He had them put Clint's stuff in the first bedroom on the east side of the living room as it was the closest to the hallway in and out of the suite. It was the clear choice as Clint would think of himself as the team watchdog keeping an eye on all comings and goings.

Natasha got the middle bedroom on the east side as it shared a bathroom with Clint's room and would afford more opportunities for their interaction. The fact that it was slightly bigger with more closet and storage space for her wardrobe would probably be enough to keep her from deciding to switch to another room.

Loki took the first bedroom on the west side so he could be next to the room that Cami had been drawn to. Their rooms also shared a bathroom in between with connecting doors into the bedrooms for convenience.

Loki knew there was a chance that Clint would intervene on the room setup as soon as he discovered that both bathrooms had the connecting doors. It was sheer luck that they were so tired when they arrived back at the suite that Clint and Natasha's discussion on the matter was brief and uneventful. Basically, Natasha liked her room and refused to move anything. Clint didn't want the hassle of moving either and dreaded upsetting Cami by stealing the room she'd liked so much.

The cleaning staff returned the next day with Cami's belongings. Loki stayed in his room until they'd finished. Then he peeked his head into the room from the bathroom, looking to see that her pictures and books had been placed properly on the shelf above the desk as in her old quarters.

It became clear right away that Clint was working a bit too enthusiastically on Loki's training schedule. Loki was subjected to two long days of written tests to determine what he knew about each area of academic study offered in the field operative curriculum. It was dull and draining for Loki to fill in so many little circles on test sheets, label inane diagrams and write little paragraphs explaining the meaning of this term or the logic behind some process, but he focused his efforts the best he could. He understood that by excelling in these tests, he could prove that he was capable of tackling much more challenging assignments.

The promising results from these tests spurred Clint to request that Loki be allowed to wave the majority of the field operative curriculum, which Fury actually approved. Apparently both men realized that Loki would be bored sitting through such basic classes day after day. Though, they were requiring him to study S.H.I.E.L.D. rules and procedures and learn how to operate and maintain the main vehicles and equipment on board the helicarrier.

Agent Barton, in review of the Drago mission, decided that he wanted to see Loki trained up in the use of firearms. He was a gun enthusiast, of course, and couldn't help spouting off long-winded facts and history about the various types of handguns commonly used by S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel. Clint even knew what guns the key figures in the organization favored and carried for duty.

As far as his shooting went, Loki was a natural. Obviously, he wasn't as good as Clint yet, but he still drew a crowd every time he appeared at the range, which actually got quite uncomfortable at times and even a little distracting.

Natasha also had plans for Loki's training. "Brawn doesn't always win a fight," she told him. "You expend too much energy and have a tendency to telegraph your movements. We're going to make your moves smaller, quicker and deadlier. And, since you can think on your feet, we're going to work on being creative with your environment."

Loki might have been more offended by her critique of his fighting style if he hadn't been so intrigued by her promises. He was being forced to rely more on his fighting ability now that he couldn't cast spells. What would it hurt to let her try to teach him something new?

Mindful of his interest in computers, Fury had stacks of books delivered to the suite for Loki to peruse at his leisure. In truth, Loki was reading and learning too quickly to be enrolled in any particular computer class. So, S.H.I.E.L.D. was letting him do self-study in the various computer sciences.

Loki didn't usually leave the suite voluntarily. Walking the halls of the helicarrier could be intimidating. There was never true quiet or peace it seemed. The vessel, machinery, and people were all in a constant hum. It was a strong, flowing current of purpose and resolve with which he just couldn't seem to connect.

Even the aspects of this new life that compelled and excited him could not overcome the foreboding truth that he was incomplete. Having Cami gone only made him more aware and susceptible to his fears and insecurities. The fact that he thought so often about a mere mortal and missed her so deeply after only a few days' time, was another indication of just how pathetically weak he'd become.

* * *

"Loki needs time to be around the crew, work on his social skills and build up his confidence," Clint reported to Fury. With so much going on, Clint had been asked to come in person for an update.

"That really doesn't seem like him, does it? Loki craved attention so much that he tried to conquer and rule our planet," Nick said candidly. "Get him set up with those regular visits to see Dr. Montoya. I want to hear what she has to say about his behavior."

"There's no guarantee he'll communicate with a shrink," Clint told Nick. "He already doesn't use the computer to talk nearly as much as he could."

"The communication barrier can't be helping with his confidence."

"I agree."

"Have you noticed any animosity toward him from the crew since you got back?"

"I've noticed some looks, but nothing out of the expected really," Clint said casually. "If I get Loki out among the crew more, everyone can get used to his presence."

Nick closed and put down the file. "Sounds like you're giving this assignment a lot of thought and attention, Clint. Has it helped that Cami is away?"

Clint found this to be a strange question. "It's only been a few days."

"Right, yet you've been much less tense and distracted. Romanoff, Hill, Hopper, Dr. Lloyd... we've all noticed."

"Sir, if my work hasn't been acceptable," Clint said with a frown, "I would have preferred to hear about it long before now."

"This isn't a performance review, Clint," Nick tried to reassure him. "We work pretty closely around here, as you know. People notice if you're a little off."

"I understand," Clint said, not really feeling as calm as he was acting. "I don't think we should blame Cami for any issues I may or may not be having."

Nick asserted, "These are just observations from people who care about your well being - not accusations."

After a brief pause, Clint asked stiffly, "Is there anything else?"

"Personnel needs Loki's paperwork done. Natasha collected it a short while ago. Make it a priority."

"Of course." Clint stood in preparation to leave.

"Oh, and Clint," Fury asked, "have you decided on the team's name yet?"

"I'm not sure we have much of a team if Cami doesn't come back," Clint said. "Natasha will probably return to solo missions and I'd just pull Loki in with my main guys."

Nick was surprised to hear this. "You don't think she will come back? I thought that's why she went to Asgard, so she could return sooner and finish her courses before graduation."

"She expressed some doubts at the hospital, but that was before Asgard entered the equation. Really, I don't know what she'll do," Clint explained.

"Then think of a name," Nick said sternly.

Clint jammed his hands in his jacket pockets and headed for the door. He barely managed to toss a "Yes sir," back in Fury's general direction before he cleared the doorway.

* * *

Loki was reading in his room when he heard the lock release on the suite door. Clint and Natasha were talking as they came down the hall into the living area.

"Loki, come here," Natasha called out loud enough for her voice to carry throughout the suite.

He closed his book and stepped out of his bedroom, yet lingered near the doorway.

Natasha set a short stack of files on the table in the center of the seating area and sat on the east side couch. Clint came around to sit at her side.

"We've got some urgent business to discuss," Natasha said. "If we're going to officially hire you as a part of S.H.I.E.L.D. there has to be paperwork. Fury says he needs all these forms filled out by morning."

Loki rolled his eyes and reluctantly walked over to them. He settled into the rocker recliner.

Nat reached out and took the top file off the stack, opening it up to the first page and pulling a pen from her jacket pocket. "First we need to know what name you're going by. Are you Loki Odinson or Loki Laufeyson?"

Loki's frown reflected his annoyance that they knew about Laufey. No doubt his oaf of a brother had been running his mouth without engaging his brain at the same time.

"We can't pay you, give you benefits, or even legally employ you if we don't have the paperwork," Natasha tried to explain.

"Just choose one," Clint said to Loki. "If you decide you don't like the name, you can always change it later. S.H.I.E.L.D. has procedures for that too."

There was another drawn out silence, during which Loki decided that he wasn't going to even show them the courtesy of making eye contact.

Natasha was sorting through the paperwork. "Hey look. They've provided an alias form."

"That's a good idea. Loki is a pretty unique name and even Thor goes by Donald Blake sometimes," Clint said.

Natasha asked, "What do you think, Loki? Would you prefer to choose an alias?"

_That's a compelling idea, _Loki thought.

"You can't use Ivan Lukin though," Clint said. "That name has already been linked to an incident and a hospital stay. You'll want something clean. Something totally new that you won't mind keeping for a while."

Loki got up from the chair and walked into Cami's room. When he returned shortly with a picture frame in his hand, Clint and Natasha were exchanging curious looks.

Clint took the frame from Loki to look at it. "This is Cami's foster family the Murphys," he said. "That's the name you want?"

Loki gave a combination of a shrug and nod.

That appeared good enough for Natasha. "Great. Now you just need a first name to go with it," Natasha said. "Go get your computer and look up some names. There are thousands of name sites out there."

Loki returned the picture to Cami's room then continued into his own room through the bathroom. It took a little searching, but Loki found his computer under a pile of books and tech manuals on his bed. Once he was settled in the chair again, Nat quickly traded him the pen and first set of papers for the computer.

"Here, I don't know most of this stuff about you. You'll have to fill it out," she said.

Loki started in on the paperwork while Natasha worked on the computer.

"I don't think you should pick his name for him," Clint teased Natasha, looking over at the screen.

"That's not what I'm doing," she responded. "This is research." There was a pause while she found what she was looking for. "This site says the name Clint means a place on the headland. What's a headland?"

"It's a piece of land that sticks out into a body of water - like a promontory," Clint said. "That's one of several meanings actually- all of them are pretty lame. I'm sure I was named after Clint Eastwood. My dad was a fan. What does your name mean?"

Nat had to switch to the list of girls' names. "Born at Christmas," Natasha read out. "I didn't know that."

"Huh. Imagine how cool that would be if you actually had a December birthday."

She laughed. "Do you realize that I've had to work every birthday since I joined S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Then take it off," Clint said. "Plan a trip or something. You've got to have more than enough leave accrued. If you're gone, they will be forced to exclude me from any away missions so I can keep watch on the kiddos."

Natasha shook her head disapprovingly at him. "I can't believe you just called Loki a kiddo. You really do think of yourself as the papa bear, don't ya?"

Clint said, "The point I was trying to make is that I wouldn't mind some down time from the constant travel. They've had me out at least twice a month since Cami arrived - usually more."

Loki kept his eyes locked on the papers as Nat and Clint talked, though a hint of a smile did curl the corner of his mouth. Sometimes he found them amusing whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Until Cami returned, Loki had to be watchful and diligent in the task of bringing the senior agents together. He wasn't sure just how difficult it would be yet, but he had made a promise of sorts to Cami to arrange their romantic union by Natasha's birthday - a date he had yet to discover.

It didn't take a genius to see that Natasha already had strong feelings for Clint. Loki had known this for the last two years, which spurred him to believe that Clint had to be the most oblivious man he'd ever met. Something had to be amiss with the 'amazing' Hawkeye if he hadn't discovered the opportunity that was parading directly under his nose nearly every day.

"I'll think about taking that leave," Natasha said, passing the computer back over to Loki. Then she started to get up. "I need a shower."

"Wait," Clint said, tapping her hip. "I almost forgot. Nick says we have to name the team."

"Right now?" Natasha said with a hint of a whine.

"He made it seem pretty important," Clint said. "Do you have any ideas?"

Nat dropped back into the cushions with a look of annoyance. "Unless it's cute and cuddly, almost anything we'll think of is going to be in use already. We might as well pull out a dictionary, choose some random words to put together and call it good."

"I'm not sure how Cami would take that," Clint said with a sigh.

"Well, then make her name her own damn team. I've had a hell of a day," Natasha said, rising from the couch again to disappear into her room and securely shut the door behind her.

Clint dropped the pen in his hand and rubbed at his forehead, trying to smooth out the tension building there. "Is the whole world in a bad mood today?"

Loki studied Clint, noticing how the agent's tension actually escalated with the annoyed departure of Natasha. Perhaps he was more affected by her than Loki had thought.

When Clint moved his hand, he saw that Loki was watching him. "What? You actually have an opinion you're willing to share?" he snapped.

Loki dropped his gaze to the tabletop then slowly drifted back to the work at hand. He could have attempted a response with his computer, but he didn't have a clever comeback to offer anyway. Words just seemed to fail him.

He pretended to read the forms, but Clint wasn't fooled.

"Hey, sorry," Clint apologized, staring until Loki finally met his gaze again.

"The last few days of constant tests and such couldn't have been fun," Clint sympathized. "You done really well, by the way, and I shouldn't be giving you crap."

Though Loki thought the apology and praise should have meant little to him, he did actually feel a spark of sentiment, which caused him to frown even deeper.

"I'd really like to see you using the computer more to talk to people," Clint said. "Tomorrow I'm supposed to take you to see the therapist and I'm pretty sure she's going to require you to answer her when she asks you questions."

Loki pondered this news. He disliked the doctors of Midgard on principle. Now he was going to be subjected to a mind doctor as well. This was not welcome news.

"Pissing off the doctors here is a whole lot more serious than in D.C. These doctors can pull you from active duty if you don't play their games. I don't know about you, but I never want to be stuck behind a desk," Clint confided, leering at the paperwork in front of him.

Clint picked up the pen and tried to concentrate on the next form. "Hey, when's your birthday?"

The question was stupid. Asgard used a totally different and more advanced calendar system. Loki wasn't even sure how to calculate his date of birth by the Gregorian calendar. He just stared at Clint, hoping he would discover the error on his own.

"Your birthday," Clint repeated. "You know, the month, day and year you were born?"

Loki's stare deepened, wordlessly saying, 'Don't be an idiot.'

It took Clint a few long moments more to interpret Loki's look accurately and come to his senses. Then he looked a little embarrassed.

"Never mind. I'll just let you do this." Clint turned on the television, chose an action flick from the network archive and stretched out to relax.

Amid the car chases, cheesy dialogue, scantily-clad girls and outrageous explosions on the big screen television, Loki actually got through the paperwork, answering the questions to the best of his ability.

All that was left to do was add a first name to his alias form. So, he accessed a name website with the computer and started reading the boy names from A and going forward.

He could have chosen any decent sounding name, but since Natasha and Clint had taken the time to actually look up the meanings of their own names, Loki realized that this might be a chance for him to leave them a clue about the situation behind his curse. He couldn't come right out and tell them what had happened to him after all.

He must have been reading names and their meanings for over an hour, because Clint's movie ended and he wandered off to the bathroom, which Natasha had only vacated within the last few minutes.

Loki was actually starting to doubt he'd find anything remotely clue-worthy when he found one at least promising enough for him not to dismiss it outright. He checked the name on a couple different sites, finding that its meaning was consistent and decided to add it to his alias form. Then he dropped the pen and computer on the paper and walked away. The curse just wouldn't let him do anything more obvious to catch his counterparts attention.

Natasha stepped into Loki's doorway a bit later. She'd gathered his paperwork for the trip back to personnel. "Thomas Murphy," she read from the alias form. "I guess you could pass for a Thomas," she told Loki, who was reading at his desk. "What made you choose that name?"

Loki looked back at her uncomfortably, wishing she could understand how profound his disappointment was that she hadn't followed through like he'd hoped. He'd tried to leave a clue back in Asgard too with similar luck. He shouldn't have been so surprised that people wouldn't find what they weren't looking for in the first place.

Clint called from the living room, "What does it matter? He will always be Loki. Thomas Murphy will only exist on paper."

"We're going to get something to eat. You going to come along this time?" Natasha asked, looking hopeful.

Loki shook his head. This was far from one of his better moments. He couldn't brave the crew glares in his current mood.

"We'll bring you something back then," Natasha promised before leaving with Clint.

* * *

Clint had an agenda already figured out for his day when he woke the next morning. Loki had his first session with Dr. Montoya at 9:30 so Clint was planning to take him to the range between breakfast and the appointment.

Natasha was showered and gone early to tackle an op for Agent Hill, so Clint didn't have to negotiate use of the bathroom this morning. He wandered in there, eyeing Natasha's bottles and tubes of various skin, hair and hygiene products that were scattered across the long counter. As usual, some had managed to make it over to his side. For a woman who was generally so organized in her professional life, Clint was astounded and actually amused with the messy state of her personal items.

Clint collected the few offending trespassers (toothpaste, eyeliner and hand cream), secured their lids and placed them next to Natasha's sink.

He used the facilities then pulled off his sleepwear, noting that Natasha's silky red underwear and bra had once again been left hanging out of the clothes hamper. As he pushed everything back in and dropped his own clothes on top, Clint found himself wondering just how many different colored sets of underwear she had since he'd seen half the rainbow in silk and lace already this week.

He took a quick shower, shaved, brushed his teeth and dressed before he realized that he hadn't heard even a peep from Loki's side of the suite. He slipped his communicator into his ear and walked out of his room, crossing the living area to knock on Loki's door.

"Hey, Loki, we've got stuff to do today," he called out.

The door opened, Loki was standing there dressed in his uniform. He had a tech manual in his hand, held open by his fingers to keep his reading place.

"Oh, didn't realize you were up already. Shall we head to breakfast? I would like to get some range time in before your session with Dr. Montoya."

Loki didn't look eager, but he set his manual on his desk, put on his uniform jacket and grabbed his computer.

The mess hall was always crowded at this hour so there wasn't a table available for just the two of them. Agent Hopper, who was sitting with a handful of the guys from Clint's elite strike team, the Hellhounds, eagerly waved them over to take the last two seats at their table.

"Good morning," Clint greeted the group, taking the spot next to Hopper.

The men responded respectfully, though they were obviously very interested in Loki as he settled next to Clint and stared at the toast, eggs and bacon on his tray.

"I know you've been busy," Hopper said to Clint. "I need to schedule a time with you to go over some things."

Clint nodded. "Oh yeah, I figured - not that I have any doubts that you're doing a great job. I told Nick you could handle everything while I was away."

"Do you have any time this morning?"

"I can meet you about 9:45 if that will work," Clint offered.

"That's perfect," Hopper said. "Might take a hour."

"OK."

Hopper returned to his breakfast and the entire table went silent.

Clint shifted his attention to Loki who wasn't eating, only staring at his food. He didn't know if he should say something to him or not when the attention from the other guys was the obvious reason Loki was so tense.

Sitting next to Loki was Agent Stott who'd opted for the biscuits and gravy with his eggs. He added some extra pepper to his breakfast then set the shaker close to Loki.

Loki's gaze shifted to the pepper then to Stott, making uncomfortable eye contact.

"I don't know about you," Stott said casually, "but I like a little extra pepper on my eggs."

Clint realized this wasn't a challenge or attempt to poke fun at Loki. Stott was one of the more relaxed members of the team and had a way with his teammates that Clint admired and often put to good use in managing disputes and team morale.

With some hesitation, Loki took the pepper and sprinkled some on his eggs. Then he picked up his fork and slowly started to eat, keeping his gaze down to avoid making eye contact with anyone else.

"Do you know when Cami's coming back?" Hopper asked Clint.

"I have no clue," Clint admitted, sipping his coffee.

"I heard she's in Asgard," Agent Kotter said. "Is that for real?"

Clint sat back in his chair, taking a moment to think before he spoke. "Yes, King Odin allowed her to go to Asgard to heal from her injuries."

"That's wild," Kotter said with an enthusiastic grin. "My great grandpa used to read us stories of Asgard and the Norse gods. Some of those stories are seriously messed up."

Clint did not like how this conversation was going. Loki must have felt similarly because he had stopped eating again.

"I'm sure you shouldn't believe everything you read," Hopper said. "Some experts believe that at least most of American history has been tainted from the original facts. How can we expect old stories about a far away dimension to be more accurate?"

"Well, we do have an expert here, don't we?" Kotter said, gesturing to Loki. "Maybe if we ask nicely, Loki will ENLIGHTEN us."

"Hey," Clint jumped in. "Don't."

"What? What did I do?" Kotter asked, throwing up his hands as if to defend himself from an attack. "I was just hoping for some cultural exchange, you know. The guy's a legend and we're not allowed to talk to him?"

"There's a very big difference between talking and disrespecting him," Hopper said sternly.

"Alright, maybe I'm razzing him a bit, but I don't feel like we should be welcoming him in with wide open arms." Kotter's tone escalated as he continued to defend himself. "The memorial wall says it all, Mike. Those people were our brothers and sisters-at-arms and he certainly didn't take their families' or our feelings into consideration when he killed them. Hell, he tried to wipe us all out, remember?"

Suddenly the mess hall seemed very quiet. Clint cast a look around to discover most everyone was looking at their table.

Loki had locked eyes with Kotter. There was a determination in his features that made Clint worry. "Let's go," Clint suggested softly.

Loki shook his head, still staring. His eyes seemed to beckon Kotter to keep on talking.

"Kotter, maybe you should walk away," Hopper said.

"Hey, I'm still eating and I'm not the outsider here," Kotter said, though his confidence seemed to be faltering under Loki's gaze.

The atmosphere was so tense that Clint couldn't see this confrontation ending without someone breaking Fury's 'hands off' order. If anyone threw a punch or something similar, the guilty party would get brig time and a mark on their permanent record. Clint knew he had to intervene.

Clint went to open his mouth, but was inadvertently interrupted by Agent Stott.

"Maybe you should just say what you want to say," Stott said to Kotter, his tone calm, respectful and even a little sad. "Looks to me like he's listening."

Kotter was thrown by this suggestion and the way the whole energy of the room seemed to shift in his direction.

_Holy shit! _Clint thought. This could go very badly.

It took several seconds for Dan Kotter to collect himself enough to speak. He started by pointing a finger at Loki, which Clint didn't take as a good sign, then gestured to the room at large. "You have hurt every last person in this room and in all of S.H.I.E.L.D.," Kotter said, letting that soak in before he continued. "Superior or not, you had better be damn grateful that we have the honor and discipline to not rip you apart right now."

Again Clint scanned the room, reading the expressions of his fellow crewmembers. Though he would have preferred to avoid such a public display, he could tell that Kotter's words were very much in line with the feelings of those present. Perhaps it was better to have one man speak for many than to expect them all to try and suppress that much anger and pain.

"We all worked really hard to get here," Kotter continued. "If you're going to serve with us, you'd better be ready to meet or exceed everyone's expectations. You owe that to us... and the people we protect."

Loki broke the stare, looking down in contemplation. Clint watched him take in a breath and then his eyes shifted back to Kotter.

"Don't," Clint said, quickly touching Loki's arm, stopping him just as his lips began to part. He hardened his tone into an order, "Don't say anything. I can't have you back in the infirmary."

"That's alright," Kotter said. "Actions speak louder than words anyway."

Loki gave him a dignified nod of agreement. Then he got up and walked with Clint through the crowds and out of the room.

Once they were several yards away from the mess hall, Clint grabbed Loki's sleeve and pulled him into an empty storage room.

Loki looked fairly calm considering what had just happened.

Clint was actually more upset than he'd realized at first and it came out in his tone. "Were you trying to get your ass kicked? Cause Kotter is no slouch and he had plenty of friends in there to back him up."

Loki keyed a quick response into his computer.

[I do not want you to protect me.]

"Well, someone has to."

[Let them be angry. I refuse to hide behind your authority.]

"Damnit Loki...," Clint said. "Just be smart about this. You are not a badass wizard anymore. Bullets are not going to bounce off you now."

[That is precisely the reason to face my problems, so I can see what is coming at me.]

Clint sighed and took in some deep breaths while he studied Loki's features. "I promised your family that I would do my best to make this arrangement work. Cami expects me to do the same."

Loki had no intention of continuing the argument. He stared at Clint with unwavering determination for a few long moments then stepped back out of the room to wait in the hallway.

Clint took some time to regain his composure. Honestly, he didn't know why he was so upset. The crew had a chance to let off some steam thanks to the confrontation with Kotter. No one got hurt and Loki had actually been given some validation as a member of the crew.

"Let's go shoot something," Clint said, stepping into the hall. If anything, it would be a nice distraction.

When Clint and Loki arrived at the range, about a dozen curious agents followed from the hall or stepped off the line to watch them. Loki eyed them uneasily at first, but put on a brave, indifferent face.

Clint got them some rifles and ammo from Agent Phillips, the range officer on duty. Since this was the first time they weren't firing handguns, Loki listened to Clint's tips and watched him fire a few shots before trying it himself. He liked the weight of the rifle and the way it kicked back so powerfully. Plus, he was pleased to see that even with the increased range, his accuracy was still good enough to make Clint smile proudly.

* * *

Dr. Montoya was waiting in the doorway of her office as the men approached. Loki decided that she had to be in her late forties, though she was fairly attractive and obviously took really good care of herself. She wore a dark suit coat with a knee-length skirt and flats.

She held a file folder with confidential stamped on the front. Handing this to Clint she said with authority, "Fill out and return these forms to me by tomorrow, Agent Barton. Have Agent Romanoff do so as well when she is back on site. I've included two sets."

Loki noted that Clint was unsuccessful in suppressing his frown at the idea of more paperwork.

Montoya's attention shifted immediately to Loki. She stepped out into the hall, clearing the doorway so Loki could enter. "Come in Trainee Murphy."

Loki stepped past her and into the office, which was decorated in soft blue, brown and green colors. She also had plants on display around the room.

"We'll be done here about 10:30," Montoya told Clint and promptly shut the door.

The doctor walked around to sit behind her desk. "You can sit if you like," she told Loki, crossing her legs and leaning back in her chair.

Since sitting wasn't mandatory, Loki decided to remain standing at first. The doctor had a bookshelf in the corner of the office packed with books of various sizes and topics. He eyed her collection, noting there weren't any specifically about the study or practice of psychology.

Loki was mildly amused to see a copy of _The Kama Sutra _tucked in at the end of one shelf devoted to various writings about human sexuality. Another shelf was predominantly stocked with religious texts, and yet more with relationship, marriage and parenting guides among other topics.

Montoya watched him quietly for a while, and finally he turned away from the shelf and took a seat, resting his computer in his lap. Loki was surprised that she wasn't asking him any questions yet.

They stared at each other, extending the silence into several minutes. He studied her features, looking for the tiny indicators that could tell him volumes about her - only to realize in time that she was doing the same to him.

Pulling open a side drawer of the desk, Montoya withdrew a ten-inch thick file and slid it across to him. When he didn't immediately reach for it, she said, "That copy is for you."

He leaned forward to peek inside. It was a collection of documents about him complete with pictures captured by the helicarrier security cameras two years ago and most recently too.

Loki shut the file and eased back into the chair again.

"Not interested?"

He frowned and intensified his stare.

"After your capture of Victor Drago in D.C. quite a few people in the S.H.I.E.L.D. hierarchy have requested full access to your file. You might be interested to know that you're being considered for training in some of the more challenging positions in this organization and most of them don't have any connection to combat."

The doctor pulled out another copy of the file and opened it flat on the desk in front of her. She'd marked some sections with colorful tabs and went right to the first one.

"In his final debriefing after the incident in New York, Agent Barton said that while he was under the mind effects of your staff, you interrogated him thoroughly about the most prominent members of S.H.I.E.L.D. - especially taking interest in Natasha Romanoff, Nicholas Fury, Phillip Coulson and Maria Hill in addition to Steven Rogers."

Loki expected a question to follow, but the doctor only paused then continued.

She moved to the last tab, reading from a highlighted section of the page. "Agent Romanoff wrote in her report of the Drago mission, 'Loki has shown that he can read and process written information very quickly then recall it in impressive detail later. It is my belief that he has a form of photographic memory, which should be fully explored and tested.'"

Montoya looked at him. "The medical term is eidetic memory, which, as it's fully defined, includes all sensory information, not just sight. There are some of us practicing in the field of psychology that don't believe a true case of eidetic memory exists because the perceptions of the individual will always affect the way information is stored in the brain and therefore taint its authenticity."

She took out another file about a quarter of the size and placed it on top of the unopened file in front of him.

"Could you read the first page of this file for me? I'd like to give you a little memorization test."

After days of tests, this shouldn't have been a big deal, yet Loki found himself shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Did he want to try and prove that he could do what they claimed he could? Or, would it be better to fail purposely and save himself the trouble?

Of course, she watched him intently during this internal debate.

Montoya opened the file herself to reveal the contents. A small headshot of Cami was stapled to the cover sheet with CAMILLE RAE BARTON printed beneath.

Loki felt immediate searing anger inside him and clenched his teeth together to keep words from escaping. He looked away from the full page of information that his mind had already tried to read in the split second in between.

"Now that's interesting," Dr. Montoya said, sounding pleased with herself as she evaluated his reaction.

Loki shot her a scathing look, which only seemed to pique her interest more. Now he doubted that she'd really intended to test his memory.

She collected the files and tucked them back into her drawer.

"I'm not your friend," Dr. Montoya told him bluntly. "Some therapists go that way and it might work for them, but I prefer a more direct route to a person's problems. I think you do have a very good memory, but everything you put in there is laced with arrogance and years of resentment and pain. Until you address those emotions, it is my expert opinion that you're not going to reach your full potential at anything."

He considered getting up and leaving the office. He certainly was angry enough, but Clint's warning about not pissing off the doctors came immediately to mind. If he got pulled from the field agent program over something as trivial as losing his temper, what would Cami think of him?

"Since I've read your entire file," Montoya continued, "I thought it would only be fair to let you read mine. At my request, you have been granted level two security clearance. This allows you to access all non-classified information on every member of the crew. I'm sure Agent Barton can help get you setup with a login and password for the database before our next meeting at 9:30 the day after tomorrow."

Loki noted the time on her wall clock. It was a few minutes shy of 10:30, meaning they'd spent the majority of the hour in silence before the doctor even produced the files.

"You may go."

He did leave, but didn't head for the confines of the team suite. Instead, Loki found himself up on the flight deck staring out into the sea with the warmth of the sun on his face and the breeze in his hair. He wished to be away from here, maybe in Asgard, but preferably someplace where no one knew him, or thought they knew him.


	15. Chapter 15

_I've got the best followers and reviewers in the world. MikaCheshire, Ellize Avalon, pingothepenguin, sv4me, featherstone5725 and Texas Shewolf, you are the greatest! Thanks for all your support._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Fifteen:

Odin walked with Cami to Loki's suite when a servant reported that was where they could find Thor. Cami waited in the entry while Odin stepped inside, calling for his eldest son.

"Cami is ready to leave," Odin told Thor as he caught sight of him. "I told her you could escort her home."

"Of course," Thor said, stepping out of the room and into the entry. "I'll continue my search when I return."

Odin asked, "What are you searching for in here?"

"I have been thinking," Thor explained. "If he had the means, Loki would have tried to fix his condition himself. When I came to get him to go to Midgard, he had a grimoire open on his table. I had forgotten until this morning and now it has been removed."

Cami asked. "Is a grimoire a magic book?"

Odin nodded, looking perplexed. "Perhaps a servant moved it while they were cleaning."

The men walked back into the suite, turning right and disappearing deep into the rooms.

Cami strained to hear their conversation, but couldn't. She stared at the open doorway, feeling an almost itching curiosity trying to override her desire to stay in the entry.

Maybe Loki did try to find his own cure, but couldn't ask for help - at least not directly. Cami realized that there could be clues in these rooms and Loki had sent her to Asgard in the hope that she would help to find them.

A servant walked by in the corridor and Cami turned to follow after her. "Excuse me," she said to the woman who looked to be around her age. "Can you tell me who cleaned Loki's rooms right after he left?"

"Igus always cleans Prince Loki's rooms," the woman said.

That certainly made things easier. "Where can I find him?" Cami asked.

"I can send for him," the woman said. "Is there something wrong?"

"We're looking for a book that Igus might have seen. It could be really important."

With a nod, the woman turned back the way she'd come, picking up her pace as she went in search.

Cami stepped back into the entry, once again finding herself staring at the open doorway. Was her hesitation really a product of her wish to respect Loki's privacy? She wanted to think so, but doubt currently clouded her mind.

Odin reappeared in the entry a few minutes later. "I apologize for the delay, Cami," he said.

"No, no. It's alright. This is important. I have asked for Igus, the servant that cleans his rooms, to come help."

"That is a very good idea. Also..." The king considered her for a few brief moments before continuing, "I wondered if you might be willing to come in and take a look yourself? I do want to respect your wishes, but the palace inquirer is away and you have had training much like his own."

Cami chewed at her lip as she looked up into Odin's beckoning blue eye. What did he expect her to do? She was a trainee agent and hadn't done much with investigations so far.

"Perhaps someone who knows him better..." she began.

"Please?" Odin asked in a soft, yet determined tone. "I have to use all resources at my disposal and right now that includes you."

How could she say no to the guy who'd been so nice to her? With a defeated sigh, Cami stepped past Odin and through the center door into what reminded her of a lounge or sitting room, perhaps it was the Asgardian version of a living room.

"Huh," she said, looking around at the red, gold and black furnishings, "for some reason I thought there would be more... green."

"Why is that?" Odin asked.

"I don't know. I guess because people have always described Loki wearing green. I must have assumed it was his favorite color."

"Frigga often dressed Loki in green as a child," Odin said, with a reminiscing look, "to match his eyes. Also some of the royal guards wear green and Loki's armor was styled after theirs."

Odin led her out of that room into a hallway that connected to a much larger space. It was a combination study area and bedroom. This is where they found Thor, standing in front of two large bookshelves.

"If the book is here, I don't see it," Thor said with a frustrated growl when he noted their arrival.

"Tell me what you remember about the book," Cami said, walking to the table where a lone chair was placed.

"It was large and bound in a dark leather cover," Thor said.

Cami asked, "Was it sitting here in front of the chair when you last saw it?"

"No, it was at the other end of the table, turned toward the door."

"Is the chair usually at this end?"

"Yes," Thor said. He pointed down. "You can see years of wear on the floor."

Cami looked and nodded. "So, he wasn't likely reading the book."

"Loki wanted someone else to read it," Odin speculated. "Why else would he turn it toward the door?"

A new figure entered the room. It was an older man dressed in servants' attire. "I was summoned, your majesty," he said to Odin.

"Yes, Igus. Thor remembers there was a book here on the table when Loki left. Can you tell us what happened to it?"

"I'm sorry. I don't think I know the book you speak of, your majesty. There wasn't a book out when I cleaned the rooms." Igus said, looking sincere, yet concerned.

"Do any of the other servants come in here?" Cami asked Igus.

"Not usually."

"Someone moved it," Thor insisted with another growl. He returned to scanning the shelves.

"We need to search thoroughly before we assume it has been taken out of the suite," Odin said.

Cami turned, studying the room and noted that there was a lot of open space between the pieces of furniture. Most everything stood on raised legs that allowed you to see under it - all except the bed.

Cami walked over to the bed, which was comparable to a queen sized bed in Midgard and made up with black blankets. At the foot of the bed, she got down on her stomach and looked under the heavy wooden frame into the shadows.

To her surprise there was a book there, splayed wide with its pages bent and torn beneath the weight of the cover.

"I think I found it!" Cami said, stretching to grab the book and gently easing it out of concealment.

Thor came to take the book from Cami and walked over to place it carefully on the table. "That looks like the right one," Thor said, "but I know it was open on the table when Loki and I left here."

"It appears that someone tried to hide it from us." Odin offered Cami a hand getting back on her feet. Then they walked to the table together. "If Cami hadn't found the book, it might have been a long time before Igus discovered it and even then, he probably would have returned the book to the library, thinking that Loki had thrown or kicked it in a fit of rage."

The king turned to the servant. "Thank you, Igus. You may go."

Igus bowed and left the room.

Cami leaned closer to look at the damaged pages as Thor flipped through them. Most of the book was written in a script that was difficult for her to read with all its flourishes. There were also pictures hand drawn into the book of nightmarish creatures and strange symbols.

"I remember this book," Odin said with a frown. "This was Loki's first shadow grimoire."

"It is a book of simple illusions," Thor said. "He's had it for years. What could we possibly learn from it?"

"Loki is a shadow wizard?" Cami asked for clarification.

"Perhaps not a full shadow mage, but yes, he is," Odin said.

"He isn't a blood wizard too, is he?"

Odin and Thor both looked at her strangely.

"Are you suggesting he cursed himself?" Thor asked Cami with a deep frown and edge to his voice.

"I'm really not suggesting anything," Cami said in her own defense.

"I would know if he was studying blood magic," Odin said, with a dismissive air.

"How often did you spend time with Loki here?" Cami asked Odin, though the question was relevant to Thor too.

"Not nearly enough," Odin replied with some regret. "I can't recall the last time."

"Loki hid from everyone in here when his mood was poor," Thor said. "We learned to leave him alone, like he wanted."

"Yet you're sure he wasn't studying blood magic." Cami looked at the bookshelves. "Has anyone else looked through his library?"

"No," both men said together.

"The queen and I will examine these volumes," Odin promised.

"What should we do with this one?" Thor gestured to the book in front of them.

"Take it to him," Odin said decisively. "If it contains information that Loki wants us to know, he will find a way to reveal it to Cami."

"And if it doesn't?"

"I don't think that it should matter. He knows these spells already and can't cast any of them now."

Odin headed for the door, leading them back to the entry and into the corridor. Cami still hadn't felt comfortable in the suite, so she was glad to be out of it.

With a final farewell to the king, Cami walked with Thor down to the palace stables where they met up with Sif and the Warriors Three, who had come to escort her to the bifrost. They rode out of Asgard together, across the spectacular rainbow bridge to an immense, golden dome with a towering spire.

"Behold Asgard's new bifrost," Fandral said with pride. "It is much bigger than its predecessor."

Cami stared at it, her eyes wide with amazement.

"Now if needed we can move the entire army of Asgard on horseback if we wished," Thor said.

A giant of a man dressed in gold armor with an intimidating helmet stepped out of the dome onto the bridge. He had a broad sword that was nearly as tall. Cami assumed this was Heimdall, the Gatekeeper of Asgard.

"Is he going to be angry with me?" Cami leaned back against Thor to ask.

"Possibly," Thor said with an uneasy smile and swung down from the horse before helping her. The others dismounted too and Sif gave Cami her training staff and a small, corked jar of medicine.

"I hope it won't be a long time until we see each other again," she told the group. "I'll miss you and know you would like to meet some of my friends too."

"We will be patient," Sif promised. "King Odin will know when it is time."

Cami handed out hugs, even managing to give one to the much more reserved Hogun before Thor led her over to the gatekeeper.

"So, this is Cami Barton, who was smuggled into our city," Heimdall said in a very deep and chilling voice. His harsh, golden eyes stared at Cami in apparent judgement.

"I didn't mean any harm," Cami said, feeling like she was ten years old again and standing in the principal's office. "I wasn't even awake when I arrived."

"That is true," Thor said. "My father brought her. She was not offered a choice."

Heimdall gave a simple nod, yet his large helmet exaggerated the gesture. "I will let her go in peace. Though, if she should find herself in Asgard again, I hope she will have the manners to present herself properly before the gatekeeper."

"I promise," Cami said, trying to smile despite the fact that he was still very big and looked so menacing.

Thor led her inside the dome, briefly explaining what she could expect from traveling through the bifrost. He helped her secure her jar of medicine in her pocket and had her grip the staff from Sif securely with both hands so she wouldn't drop it.

With Mjolnir in his right hand and Loki's grimoire in the other, Thor gave Heimdall the signal that they were ready - even though Cami didn't feel very ready at all.

They were essentially standing inside a gigantic machine with grinding gears and lightning jumping from the operating mechanism at the center to receptors on the inner wall of the dome. Cami could feel the energy in the air around her, small discharges of static that prickled her skin.

"Are you sure a human can endure this?" Cami asked suddenly, overwhelmed with uncertainty.

Thor, who stood a couple of feet from her, turned to say, "I will be at your side the whole time. Do not be afraid."

There was no time for further discussion. A wave of white light rushed at them, grabbing hold and snatching them right off their feet. It felt like every bone in Cami's body strained under the pull of this force as it dragged her through breathtaking and unimaginable views of space. Colors unlike any she'd seen whirred past and she could not comprehend the changes around her before something new and more amazing took its place.

Cami felt the exact moment the pull ended. Involuntarily, her body flipped back, reacting to the loss and then everything went silent and still.

A touch on Cami's face woke her. She was on the ground with Thor leaning over her, his head blocking the midday sun.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Cami pondered the question through her jolted senses. Her whole body seemed to be numb and groggy, waiting for a reset.

"You fainted," Thor explained.

"We're in New Mexico?" Cami asked, eyeing the bits of vegetation she could see beyond where she lay.

He nodded. "There are other bifrost sites on Midgard, but this one was still closest to your airboat. I planned to continue there from here, but I fear your body needs a chance to recover first. I will take you to Jane's."

They had barely landed outside the laboratory when a pretty young woman with long, dark brown hair and wide, expressive eyes came charging out the front door. "Thank God you're back," she said to Thor. "Jane has been a complete psycho since you left. You need to make up... or out... or whatever you do that puts that happy, dreamy face on her for days and days."

"Darcy, please calm down. This is Cami Barton," Thor said. "She is with S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Oh, hey," Darcy said, her tone lacking enthusiasm. "Welcome to the asscrack of New Mexico."

Thor's smile was strained as he told Cami, "This charming creature is Darcy Lewis. She is Jane's assistant."

Cami said hello and Darcy immediately turned to head back toward the building.

"I take it you and your girlfriend had a fight," Cami said.

Thor did not answer, but his uncomfortable expression was very telling.

Cami and Thor followed after Darcy only to meet up with a tall, older gentleman as they reached the door.

"Erik," Thor greeted the man, "it is good to see you."

"I was sad to hear I'd missed you before," Selvig admitted.

The men embraced like best friends then Thor made introductions.

"Ah, so you are the girl that Jane is so angry about?" Selvig said knowingly.

Cami looked between the men with a confused frown. "Why is Doctor Foster angry with me? What did I do?"

"I told Jane a while ago that it was forbidden for humans to go to Asgard. Then my father let you go," Thor explained. "I was stupid enough to let her find out."

"Jane was understandably upset," Selvig said. "Plus, Thor's visits are so few and far between. I think it would help if you could stick around longer this time, Thor."

"I'm only here to take Cami back to her brother," Thor told Erik. "Father expects me home."

Cami reached over and took the grimoire from Thor. "Yeah, whatever! I work for the largest spy network on the planet with unlimited resources. I certainly can find my own ride home so you can do some damage control. You gotta keep up with your girlfriend faction. It is very important business."

This mini-speech had both men stumped.

"Go see her," Cami ordered the Asgardian. "Your father will understand; I'm sure."

Erik showed Cami where the phone was while Thor continued into the lab area. She didn't remember the phone number exactly, so it took some operator assistance to weave her way through to S.H.I.E.L.D. "This is Trainee Camille Barton," she said to the first agency operator that she reached. "I need to request a pick up from Puente Antiguo, New Mexico."

"Please state your authentication code, Miss Barton."

"Tango 5-5-7-3," Cami said.

"Please hold while your request is submitted for authorization."

"Yes. Thank you."

The line was silent for nearly five full minutes before Clint came on.

"Hey Kiddo. You're back."

"Yeah. I could really use a lift to the helicarrier. Thor has some issues here he needs to address. Also, I kinda fainted coming through the bifrost. So, a supersonic flight across the country probably isn't what the doctor ordered anyway."

"We don't have any aircraft in your area right now. Hill is attempting a mission shuffle so I can borrow the Streak. Either way, it's going to be hours and a driver will have to come get you to meet up with me."

"That's OK. How's Loki?"

"Miserable."

"Oh no. What happened?" she asked with concern.

Clint chuckled. "Nothing and everything, if that makes any sense. I think he's going to be very happy to have you back. We all will."

"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone too," she said earnestly before hanging up with him.

* * *

Loki and Natasha were heading for the gymnasium to practice fight moves when Natasha suddenly froze mid-stride and put her hand up to her ear.

"This is Romanoff," she said, listening closely.

Loki waited for her to explain the interruption.

"We'll pack up and meet you up top," Natasha said. Her gaze shifted back to Loki and she smiled. "Fury is sending us with some of the guys for S.T.A.V. training. We've got one pick up on the way then we'll get to play with some new vehicles. Come on. We've got to pull some clothes together and meet Clint at the Streak."

Loki didn't know what a S.T.A.V. was; so as soon as they boarded the jet and got strapped in with Kotter, Stott and Rodriguez, all members from Clint's strike team, Loki accessed the network on his computer to try to find out for himself.

Specialized Terrain Assault Vehicles, or otherwise known as S.T.A.V.s were the latest and greatest S.H.I.E.L.D. creation for war zone deployment. These highly armored and maneuverable vehicles were designed to go where others couldn't in dangerous and/or inhospitable environments.

"Did anyone know this was happening today?" Stott asked the group.

"Nope. We've got an agent who needs a lift home," Hopper explained from the co-pilot seat. "Fury saw this as an opportunity to get a group of us out here to train up on these new vehicles. He said the engineers have an upgrade package for the Streak too. So we brought her along."

"This is going to be a blast!" Kotter said. "We must have done something right, boys."

The flight time to the pickup was the longest leg of their flight. "We're only down long enough to get our passenger," Clint told the group after they'd landed at some undisclosed base. "Stretch your legs, but don't wander off."

Clint grabbed a pack from the storage compartment and waved for Loki to come with him as he disembarked.

"Everyone else seems pretty excited, but you looked bored as hell," Clint said. "At least try to look happy that you get to do something cool or the guys will think you're weird."

Loki shrugged. He just wasn't in the mood to care about appearances.

He pointed at the pack Clint was toting.

"Oh, yeah. I thought our new passenger might need a change of uniform. Should be waiting for us in the mess hall."

The base personnel got them pointed in the right direction - even if they were giving Loki some pretty confused looks.

Loki followed Clint into the small mess hall. Amongst the dark blue uniforms of the base personnel was one person in black with a long, complex style of braid that Loki realized he had only ever seen worn by the females in Asgard.

"Hey," Clint called out jovially to those gathered, "have any of you guys seen my annoying little sister? She's like 5'4" and talks A LOT."

There was some laughter as Cami jumped up, grabbed her stuff and ran toward them. "Thanks guys!" she called over her shoulder to those still seated. Then she launched herself into Clint's open arms.

"Wow, I think you might have grown a little," Clint teased, looking her up and down. "You look healthy and happy." He eyed the staff. "What's this?"

"It's my training staff," Cami said, handing it to him for inspection.

She sidestepped to Loki. "I promised your mom that I would give you a hug. Can I?"

Loki had been standing there in a daze, hardly hearing a word she said as he took in her energetic features. Since no one had come out and said who they were picking up, Loki had to assume it was Clint's intention to surprise him with this reunion.

He let Cami step close and wrap her arms around him, softly squeezing him against her front. He caught a familiar floral scent of the palace gardens in her hair right before she pulled away again.

She held up her pack by the strap in front of him. "There's something in here we need to talk about, but we'll do that later."

Clint indicated the pack in his hand. "Do you need to change? We're heading on to do some training in Arizona."

Cami shook her head. "My uniform was clean when I put it on this morning. I can wait, thanks."

After a brief stop at the restrooms and a few minutes longer to collect their group back at the ship, they were underway for the training facility across the border in Arizona.

"How was Asgard?" Kotter asked Cami after they'd filled her in on the S.T.A.V. training.

"Beautiful," she said truthfully, "and big."

In the seat beside Cami, Loki studied her expressions as she described the finery of the palace and the variety of flowers and trees on the grounds. He could tell that she really did enjoy her stay in the Realm Eternal.

"We heard you were in bad shape," Stott said. "Looks like they fixed you right up."

"Yeah." Cami smiled, but looked at Loki, momentarily uncertain what to say.

Natasha interjected, "Cami has probably agreed to be discreet about some aspects of her visit to Asgard. Let's assume that she'll share what she is allowed."

Stott hadn't been fishing for detailed information it seemed as he agreed with Natasha's statement wholeheartedly.

It was too dark for the team to start training by the time they arrived at the facility. They were shown to the barracks area where the quartermaster had a question for Clint.

"My paperwork says you are team leader over these agents, but Romanoff, Murphy and Miss Barton are not marked as members of the Hellhounds. Is this two teams?"

"Yes, actually," Clint said.

Loki was leaning against the wall, watching the scene. When Cami and Natasha walked around the corner, he gestured for them to come over.

"What's up?" Natasha asked.

"Just clearing up that we've got two teams here," Clint said. "We haven't chosen a name, remember?"

"Let me guess," Natasha said, "Fury made the distinction to force us to decide?"

"Maybe."

The quartermaster did not look amused. "So, what name am I putting down here for the second team?"

"How about Mischief Makers?" Cami said instantly.

Clint looked surprised, but exchanged a quick smile with Natasha. "I like it," he said and looked at Loki. "That work for you?"

Loki nodded. He liked it very much.

"Mischief Makers," Clint affirmed to the quartermaster. "Feel free to pass that along to H.Q. for us too."

By the time Loki and his teammates dropped off their packs in their temporary accommodations, the Hellhounds had invaded the recreation room. They had an action film going on the television, were playing pool and pinball and had cracked open the beers in the mini-bar.

Loki noted that Cami was pulled in to sit on the couch with Clint while they watched the movie and whispered back and forth. He assumed they were talking about him, which didn't bother him all that much. He'd been on pretty good behavior if they considered that he hadn't tried to injure anyone or worse in Cami's absence.

Natasha was beating Agent Rodriguez at pool and Hopper was already issuing her a challenge of his own.

Loki decided that he preferred the quiet of the room he'd be sharing with Clint during this little adventure. Once back in the room, he sat at the small table provided and typed away on his computer, working on a summary of the Clint and Natasha situation for Cami.

Thanks to Dr. Montoya's bump in his security clearance, he had been able to look up Natasha's birthday, which was coming up at the end of the month. Their timeline was down to twelve days now and he honestly didn't know if it would be enough time to do what he'd promised, but he was formulating a plan beyond what he'd already been doing.

It had probably been close to a half an hour when Cami knocked on his door. Loki figured it was her before he answered it. So, of course, he was pleased to be right.

She walked in as he stepped out of her way, carrying the pack she'd showed him earlier.

"I've been told that you aren't socializing with the crew very well," Cami said, turning to look at him as he shut the door. "Clint says you hardly leave the suite if they don't make you." She sounded concerned rather than disappointed in him.

Loki walked up to her and gently took her chin in his hand, turning her head from side to side and leaning a bit so he could admire the braid.

"Your mom did it for me," Cami said softly.

He nodded, having expected as much. He heard it all the time growing up, how Frigga wanted a girl to round out the family. To the best of Loki's knowledge, Odin had never made her any promises.

"You've been working?" Cami asked, gesturing to his computer.

Loki offered her the chair so she could read through what he'd written.

She handed him the pack instead, saying, "I need to know if what is in here is important. We found it hidden under your bed in Asgard." Cami was waiting for his reaction before giving the computer any further attention.

He unzipped the pack as she took the seat at the table and drew out the book. There was no way for him to not recognize the book as it had been in his private collection since the beginning. It was old and he had memorized every word and picture ages ago. Plus, it did hold the spell that he'd left open as a clue for Thor.

Loki met Cami's gaze, reading the questions in her eyes and wishing he could tell her everything. Even now, as he tried to think of a way to confirm that the book was important, he felt the strain of the curse edging in on his motor functions to halt any helpful action he might attempt. The mere thought of offering her a smile instantly froze his facial muscles. He couldn't hug her if his arms wouldn't move. Wanting to hold the book tighter, would assuredly cause him to drop it.

Cami studied him, seeming to know and understand his struggle. "We thought so," she said and took the book and pack from him, placing them on the table beside the computer. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out."

Loki's body eased up as she started to read his entry on the computer. He dropped onto the nearest twin-sized bed and tried to console himself with the knowledge that Cami was smart, determined and on his side.

After several minutes of reading, Cami started laughing. "You've really been sneaking into their bathroom every morning to mess up Natasha's stuff before Clint wakes up?"

Loki nodded, his features having finally relaxed into a look of levity.

"Your notes basically point to Clint being the problem," Cami continued. "I can't even get Natasha to admit she likes him a little bit that way. Are you so sure?"

He sat up and gave her a shrug. Of course he wasn't certain of anything.

"So, you say you got an idea from Dr. Montoya and eidetic memory, but you ended there. Explain it for me."

Loki gestured for Cami to hand him the computer. She chose to move to the bed with him, letting him have the computer while she got situated at his side, also using the wall as a backrest.

[Eidetic memory records every moment of every day through the person's senses. I think we should attempt to bombard Clint's senses with Natasha.]

Cami reread this message several times. She looked confused. "So, we find ways to make him see, hear, smell, touch and taste Natasha?"

[Essentially. If the impression is strong enough, it will stick in his memory.]

Cami seemed to understand better now. "And he'll probably start thinking about her all the time," she concluded.

_That's my clever girl, _he thought and praised her with a smile.

[That is my hope. We don't have much time left.]

"Yeah. My recovery in Asgard put a kink in things," Cami said. She rested her head on his arm. "Now we're here in Arizona for a few days." Her tone continued to sadden. "I would love to spend the night in the new suite. Those beds are big with room to stretch out."

[How long did you stay in the healing room?]

"I was out having fun after a few days, but I slept there every night," she told him.

Loki felt undeniable exasperation at this news. He typed with extra firmness, [That's ridiculous. There are plenty of beds in the palace. They could have at least put you up in my room.]

"It's OK," Cami said. She started to laugh at his sudden, dramatic change in mood. "They actually tried that and I wouldn't do it. I wanted to respect your privacy... or something. You weren't there to say it was alright. So, I slept in the healing room. So what? It didn't kill me."

Loki listened to her explanation, admired the gleam of amusement mixed with embarrassment in her eyes, felt the warmth of her arm resting against his, smelled the floral scents in her hair and decided he needed to taste her sweet mouth right then.

Cami jumped just a bit as he lunged in and his lips pressed against hers. This thrilled Loki as he liked the element of surprise. He skipped being gentle, wanting to feed a strong hunger within him to claim every inch of her mouth as his own. She'd recovered and was responding to him by the time his tongue pushed past her lips to caress the front of her teeth. She allowed him in, only to teasingly purse her lips around his tongue and slowly pull back until he was out again.

Loki leaned back in, eager for more of her, when the door to the room opened and Clint stepped in.

"I thought I might find you two in here," Clint said, looking more uncertain than threatening.

Cami slipped off the bed and onto her feet pretty quickly, stepping forward to meet Clint's gaze.

"Then you should have knocked," she said in a tone that softly chastised, yet seemed to forgive him too.

"Yeah, well... maybe you could have locked the door," Clint countered, holding his own in the embarrassment department.

"What... and have you kicking it down? I don't think so, Bro," Cami said, flexing her attitude a bit.

Cami returned to Loki who'd moved to sit on the edge of the bed. She leaned over to give him a quick peck on the mouth. Then she grabbed the grimoire and pack before leaving the room.

Loki remained on the bed, not quite staring at the floor as much as waiting for Clint to say or do something. Even with their time spent together at the range bonding, as Natasha called it, Clint was still going to be the protective brother first and foremost.

Clint crossed to the opposite bed and took a seat, leaning forward so he was resting his arms on his knees. His expression was difficult for Loki to read so he didn't study it for long.

"You know, it's actually really intimidating to start a conversation with you when I'm pretty sure you're not going to bother to respond," Clint said.

Loki found this small confession to be quite revealing. Clint wasn't the type of man to be easily intimidated by anything.

"You probably know everything about us by now," he said, gazing toward the computer at Loki's side. "I'm not going to say you aren't entitled to some happiness of your own, Loki. It's just... she's my sister and she's had it kinda rough."

There was a long silence with a lot of uncomfortable staring.

Clint rubbed at his forehead, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I don't want to be a dick about this. So, do me a favor and take things really slow. OK?"

Slow was such a loose term, open to interpretation and often defined by comparison. Loki didn't want to make such a promise based on someone else's expectations of what it meant. He would pursue Cami in the manner he saw fit, taking into consideration only her feelings on the matter.

Since Clint was likely to stay there waiting for a response, Loki collected his computer and promptly left the room. He decided that he'd brave the noisy brood in the rec room until time for bed.

_Let Clint interpret a response from that, _Loki thought.


	16. Chapter 16

_I hope everyone had joyous holidays. I certainly needed the break to recharge my batteries._

_I'm forever grateful to my faithful reviewers Ellize Avalon, MikaCheshire, featherstone5725, sv4me and Texas Lynx (Shewolf) for their support. Also, to Darthmara93, moonlightjunkie, powerofkisses and HawkeyeLover, I offer my heartfelt appreciation for your comments and encouragement._

Mischief Makers – Chapter Sixteen:

Clint brooded in his room for a bit since there were no pressing matters for him to attend.

He hadn't been that surprised by Loki's reaction to his request. Loki only recognized Clint's authority as his supervisor when it suited him. Why would he give his big brother status any more weight or consideration?

The quartermaster stepped into the open doorway. He held out a cell phone to Clint. "There is a call for you, Agent Barton."

Clint stood and took the phone, thanking him. He chose to shut the door as the quartermaster departed.

"Barton," he said into the phone.

"Did we get everyone settled in?" asked the familiar voice of Director Fury.

"I haven't gotten around to the bedtime stories yet, Sir," Clint joked.

Fury said, "That conversation we had before you left... I've changed my mind. Let Cami drive. "

"Why the sudden change? She's only a trainee."

"Technically, so is Loki," Nick said. "Hill pointed out that the college listed street racing among their infractions against her. Now I have this funny feeling that this might be one area where you two are more alike than different."

"She hasn't done any driving since she came to the helicarrier," Clint reminded him. "I really have no idea how good she is."

"Well, the mechanics just completed repairs on the eighth car. So, I say we find out what she can do."

"OK. I'll let her know."

Clint got off the call and left the room. The girls' room was next to his. So, Clint decided to check there first.

The door was open and Cami was stretched out on one of the beds casually thumbing through an old book with weird writing. There was no one else currently in the room.

"Hey, I need to talk to you," Clint said.

Cami peeked up from the book. "I really don't want to talk about me and Loki right now."

"No, this isn't about that," Clint assured her. He stepped into the room, pulled over the available chair and sat facing the bed. He held up the cell phone still clenched in his hand. "I just got off a call with the director."

Cami closed the book and sat up. "Bad news?"

"I told you earlier that you could hang out, catch up on your studying and stuff while we were in training. Well, Nick has a different idea."

"Is he calling me back to classes?" she asked softly.

"No, actually. He wants you in class with me tomorrow. Seems you were into street racing at school and never told me."

"I get to drive?!" Suddenly she was grinning ear to ear.

Her enthusiasm made Clint chuckle.

"Well, it was a direct order. So, yeah, you get to drive."

Letting out a high pitched squeal, she jumped up to give him a strong hug. "I've got to find Loki," she said and dashed for the door.

"Try the rec room," he called after her.

He sat in silence for awhile, trying to let Cami's good mood infect him too. Contrary to what his sister thought, he really didn't like being gruff and grumpy all the time.

"What's your problem with Loki dating Cami?" Natasha suddenly asked from behind him.

Clint sighed. _There goes the good mood, _he thought. Nat was here to bust his balls again.

"Didn't think I would have to explain this to you, of all people," he answered softly.

Natasha came around to take the spot on the bed that Cami had vacated. "I thought we'd established that this isn't the same Loki from before," she said.

Clint explained, "I didn't tell him to back off. I asked if he could take it slow."

"Why? They are consenting adults."

"Who both have a tendency to make bad choices," Clint insisted.

"And who are you to talk? We were both bad guys before joining S.H.I.E.L.D."

He growled. "God, I saw that coming."

"Then you shouldn't have let yourself step right into it," Natasha chided. "We both understand how important it is to have someone you can always count on. If you keep treating her like a little kid, Cami will not look to you to be that person."

Clint's jaw clenched as he mulled over her words. He'd been trying to find the right balance when dealing with his sister for months. Why did it seem that he was always wrong and Natasha was a fount of parenting knowledge?

He finally asked in a soft, defeated tone, "What do you want me to do, Nat?"

She said, "Let me run the team while we're here for training."

Her request surprised Clint. "Really? What happened to 'I never want to be a team leader'? You cringed when Fury asked you to help supervise this group."

Natasha looked a little irked that he chose to throw her own words back at her.

"I know, but I think it will help smooth the situation over. That's all," she said.

"OK. Fine. You can lead. I don't need the extra stress anyway."

She offered him a sympathetic smile. "That was my thought exactly."

The book Cami had been looking at drew Clint's attention and he reached out to pick it up. He examined the dark leather cover and thumbed through some of the pages, noticing that some had been torn and bent. He didn't know exactly what this book was, but he could guess from its odd writing and pictures that it probably came back with Cami from Asgard.

"Cami tell you anything about this?"

"It's Loki's. I think she said it was his first book of illusions. Something to do with shadow magic," Natasha said. "She thinks there is something important in it."

"It's creepy," Clint said. "Do you think I should be worrying about her having this?"

"King Odin sent it with her. I doubt he'd entrust her with dangerous magical contraband."

"Good point," Clint agreed. He dropped the book back on the foot of the bed.

"Shall we join the others for a movie? Rodriguez started the first of those Peter Jackson fantasy movies with the elves and ogres," Natasha said.

"Actually, they're orcs," Clint corrected her gently. "Sure. I wouldn't mind the distraction."

They walked down to the rec room in time to get some fresh bowls of popcorn and decent seats in front of the large screen television.

The next morning the Mischief Makers beat their Hellhound counterparts to breakfast.

"A few too many beers last night, huh guys?" Natasha teased Hopper and Rodriguez when they finally joined them.

Hopper buried his face in his hands. "I hate sharing quarters. Kotter was up most of the night, looking over the plans for the S.T.A.V. Now he doesn't even seem tired."

On cue, Kotter and Stott walked in, making their way over to the group. "It feels like Christmas morning!" Kotter said with a wide grin and bright eyes. He looked up and down the table. "Oh, come on. Someone show some enthusiasm."

"Dan, we're gonna be in class all day. I seriously doubt we'll even get to touch a vehicle before tomorrow," Clint said.

"Oh Clint," Natasha said, "don't squelch his excitement. If it was a new rifle or bow, you'd be acting the exact same way."

Their class on the vehicles' systems did last all day long and into the early evening with only short food and bathroom breaks.

Reading the official operator's manual wasn't required, yet Loki jumped at the chance when Natasha mentioned it to him. So, he shifted his attention between the manual, presentation and Cami, who looked absolutely fascinated.

"It's just a big gadget on wheels," Clint explained to everyone. "It's right up Cami's alley."

"Wasn't it convenient that they started by telling us how much each vehicle costs to build and maintain?" Natasha said with a tired sigh as they exited the classroom at the end of the day.

Clint said, "It's just their way of making a point. Everyone eventually breaks or crashes something expensive in our line of work."

"Oh great," Cami said with concern. "We don't have to pay for damages do we?"

"No, not usually," Natasha said with a grin. "Your brother never could have afforded your private schooling if S.H.I.E.L.D. had that policy."

"Thanks, Nat," Clint said stiffly. "Now she'll think I'm reckless."

"That's not what I meant," Natasha gently emphasized. She smiled at Cami. "He's just so gung ho sometimes that luck can't keep up with him."

* * *

There was a lot of technical talk around the table during dinner, which was actually helpful for Cami as she got to hear some of the day's presentation reduced to layman's terms by her peers and had a chance to ask a few questions.

Afterwards, she and Loki took a long walk through the facility while Cami rattled off every interaction she'd noticed between Clint and Natasha throughout the day.

"If we can keep them together most of the time, we're good for covering most of the senses," Cami said, "but I really have no idea how we're going to get Clint to taste Natasha. I mean... it just sounds naughty."

Loki stopped in his tracks, gave her a roguish smile, then pulled her close for a kiss, which escalated quickly to some serious tongue action.

To save himself the strain of leaning down so far, Loki hooked Cami behind the legs, lifting her up as he gently backed her against the corridor wall. Then he wrapped her legs around his waist and continued his eager kisses against her warm, soft neck.

"We are so out in the open," Cami said nervously, sliding her hands up his shoulders to circle his neck and play in his hair. "Someone is going to see us."

He pulled back from her neck and pressed his mouth against hers. Cami nibbled and sucked on his lips as long as he would allow before he invaded her mouth with his talented tongue again.

Cami was completely drawn in by Loki's kisses and had no reference for the time that passed before Agent Kotter happened to come across them.

"Hey guys!" he called out, causing Cami to promptly break the kiss.

Kotter picked up his pace to meet up with them, pretty much forcing Loki to ease Cami back to the ground before further embarrassment caused her to wiggle out of his grasp.

Seemingly oblivious to the scene he'd interrupted, Kotter asked them excitedly, "You want a peek in the garage area? I found one of the test drivers who is willing to get a small group of us in past security."

Loki looked intrigued, but waited for Cami to give her own opinion of the offer.

"You sure you don't want to go get your buddies?" Cami asked. It seemed overly generous for Kotter to be offering this opportunity to two trainees.

"Nah," Kotter said. "They're all hanging out in the rec room together. I promised Tripp I wouldn't bring too many people."

Apparently the thought of going by himself either hadn't occurred to him or wasn't as appealing.

"OK. We're in," Cami said.

Kotter led them toward the north end of the facility where they met up with a guy named Jamie Tripp who had been test driving S.T.A.V.s for the last few months. Tripp walked them through security and out to the garage where there were eight vehicles all lined up and looking impressive.

"Check 'em out!" Kotter said, crossing to the nearest one and starting to inspect it as he rattled off stats and features to Cami and Loki. Apparently he knew all about the special suspension system, frame and tire design among a million other things that were barely mentioned in their class.

To Cami the S.T.A.V. looked kind of like a futuristic formula race car on raised wheels with an enclosed and elongated cockpit for two riders and enhanced with every techno gadget a geek could dream up.

Tripp opened the cockpit so they could get a closer look at the systems as he and Kotter named them off. "Voice command recognition is one of the newest features," Tripp told them. "It's really useful, but at the same time, it can be a little buggy. So, I don't use it for complex maneuvers."

"Lok... I mean, Thomas," Kotter corrected himself quickly, "wouldn't get any use out of that anyway. He's one of them strong, silent type guys."

Tripp smiled, seeming to know this already. "Yeah, Mr. Stark mentioned that one of the team members wasn't a talker."

"Mr. Stark?" Cami asked.

"Yeah, he's been the design consultant on this project for the last several months. Every change they make has to be approved by him," Tripp said.

"If Stark is involved, how come they haven't fixed the buggy voice command software yet?" Cami asked. "That sounds very un-Stark-like."

"Well, Shortstuff," the familiar voice of Tony Stark said from across the garage, "I have been giving the matter a great deal of my attention the last couple of days."

Tripp grimaced with a classic 'busted-doing-something-bad' look. "Hey, Mr. Stark, I didn't realize you were on site," he said, rubbing at the back of his neck.

The billionaire came walking up, dressed in a pair of filthy coveralls. From his disheveled appearance and the various tools he carried on his belt, he'd probably been working around the garage for hours.

"Well, I get a little overprotective. I decided it was a good idea to be here since Fury finally sent some agents over to train."

Tripp explained, "Agent Kotter is a huge fan of your design."

"Well, he should be," Stark said with a cocky smile, stepping up to shake Kotter's hand. "I design really cool stuff." Then he mussed Cami's hair a bit and nodded in greeting to Loki.

Jamie mentioned that he had some reports to do. So, Tony offered to take over the show-and-tell for the group, which it turns out wasn't his intention at all.

"You guys been doing that long?" Tony asked right after Jamie stepped away. He pointed out that Loki's arm was around Cami's waist, a fact that had actually escaped her attention until that moment.

"No," Cami said boldly, recovering quickly. "It's a new thing we're trying out."

"You are braver than me, man," Kotter said to Loki, who didn't look the least bit intimidated by whatever threat Kotter was eluding to.

"Her brother is a definite deterrent," Tony agreed with Kotter, "but I hear Clint has taken Loki under his wing. He's in a good position to pull this off."

Cami felt a frown creeping into her facial muscles, though Loki just looked amused.

"What we do is no one else's business," Cami told them.

"Of course," Tony agreed. "I just thought you'd be a little slower hooking up."

By the latest definition Cami had heard, hooking up meant having sex. "We have not hooked up," Cami said with exasperation to Stark, though her gaze shifted to Kotter for a moment as well.

There was an urge building within her to make too big of a deal out of their interest. So, she tried to stay calm. "Come on guys. We don't sit around trivializing your relationship with Pepper," she said to Tony. Then to Kotter she added, "Or your constant lack of commitment to any woman at all."

"Hey, don't bring me into this," Kotter said. "I was just saying that the smart guys consider you and Romanoff completely off limits for fear that Clint will snipe their asses."

"I'm happy for you; really." Tony said to Cami and Loki. "Now run along so I can get some work done. Maybe we'll have voice commands back online before you guys hit the track."

The trio walked out of the restricted area and didn't run into any of their teammates until they reached the rec room.

"There you are," Hopper said to them as soon as they entered the room. "Where have you guys been?"

Cami said, "We were in the garage poking around the S.T.A.V.s with Mr. Stark. He's awfully proud of them."

Now they had everyone's attention and Kotter took this as a cue to take center stage and start rambling off details while the others asked questions. Their looks were envious as he told them about seeing the vehicles up close.

With everyone distracted by Kotter, Loki tried to lead Cami away from the rec room, but she resisted.

"It's time to socialize," she whispered. "You need to make friends and these guys carry a lot of weight around the helicarrier."

Loki gave her a pained, pleading look.

"Sorry," she said softly, "but we can't get Clint's mind on Natasha if he's wondering where we've run off to every other second."

Loki was not happy and she really did feel bad forcing him into this position, but Cami knew he would give in - even if only for her.

"I'll make it up to you," she promised and pulled him further into the room to join in the activities.

Eight shiny silver vehicles were pulled out of the garage when the Hellhounds and Mischief Makers met Stark and the test drivers out there the next morning.

"Since we've got two teams and it's probably not a good idea to have all eight cars on the track to start, let's have the Hellhounds drive first," Tripp suggested, "while the Mischief Makers ride along."

Stark agreed, his attention on the equipment he would be using to monitor the vehicles.

"Did you get the voice commands working?" Cami asked Tony.

"Of course." Tony said, like there wasn't ever a doubt that the problem would be discovered and fixed.

Once they'd all partnered up with someone from the other team, they got in the cars and hit the track, which was best described as an obstacle course really.

Early on, they could tell that Clint, Kotter and Hopper were the best drivers. Though, Cami did get an honorable mention from the group when she executed a super sweet drift around a difficult corner.

They were all acting quite serious and safe at the start of the day, but by the end as everyone's confidence grew, maturity and common sense dropped off. By then, all eight vehicles were out on the track and everyone was racing and showing off. Even Loki cracked a few smiles.

"You've really outdone yourself, Stark," Natasha complemented Tony as they pulled the cars into the garage for the night. "That was amazing."

Clint and the other Hellhounds each took a turn praising Stark's genius too.

"Think you've had fun today, just wait until we go over the weapons systems tomorrow," Tony said.

"What did you think, Cami?" Clint asked. "You seemed to be having a fairly good time today."

"I think a certain billionaire friend of mine really wants to get me one of those for my own," she teased, flashing Stark a winning smile.

Tony laughed, but also shook his head. He wasn't making any such promise.

* * *

Loki woke from a calm, contented dream, the first he'd had in years, to the disappointing reality that Cami was not in his arms, the bed or even in the same room. He was very aroused and relishing the last of the images of her before they dimmed and departed his conscious mind.

The digital clock next to him read a couple minutes after five o'clock. Loki weighed his options for a few moments then decided to get up. He left the bedroom and walked barefoot to the community showers, which were empty, as he suspected. Stripping out of his sleepwear, Loki stepped into a stall and turned the taps on, letting the freezing water help shock him more awake and further subdue his arousal.

As the water slowly transitioned to warm and hot, Loki thought over the last few days. Though he regretted the lack of private time with Cami, he had enjoyed some aspects of his experiences here in the land of Arizona. Driving the new vehicles had been enjoyable and challenging. Plus, spending time with the extended group had become less agitating as he came to understand each of them and their motivations. It also helped that they had accepted him as an equal in their activities despite everything that should have biased their willingness to interact with him.

Today they were scheduled to fly back to the helicarrier. So, Clint and Natasha had already been making plans on how to tackle the responsibilities that awaited their return.

Loki felt that it was going to be difficult to focus on his field training if he didn't get some alone time with Cami soon. In her eagerness to include him in the group dynamic, she'd denied him the interaction he craved the most. It had been her promised companionship that lulled him into all this S.H.I.E.L.D. business in the first place.

His thoughts once again on Cami and the lustful activities he planned for her, Loki's arousal heightened again quickly, making him sigh with frustration and reach for the taps to lower the shower's temperature.

The curtain unexpectedly opened and Loki turned his head just as a strong hand grabbed him around the throat. He looked into the blood red eyes embedded in features that mirrored his own and tried to fight back- only to have black, shadowy tendrils materialize from his attacker's body to bind his hands and yank him out of the stall.

He fell painfully onto the cold, hard tile, but managed to get to his knees before the tendrils wrapped his arms against his sides and bound his feet.

"Did you miss me?" the black-clad intruder asked in that smug tone that Loki had grown to loathe. He'd not realized or cared in the past how incredibly vexatious his own voice could be to others.

He also realized shamefully that the other Loki was eyeing his erection with amusement.

"Can I take that as a yes? You were always quite in love with yourself, weren't you?"

He averted his eyes, wondering how bad this was going to get this time.

"Oh, don't look so downtrodden," the other Loki said, using a simple spell to pull a blood blade from an inter-dimensional space. His menacing red eyes didn't convey any of the mock sympathy he offered. "Jahla needs a bit more of our blood for my next enhancement. So, of course, I had to stop by. You don't mind, do you?"

_You cretin! _Loki thought bitterly. _You won't goad me into talking this time. You're too dull to even change your tactics._

He stiffened as the other Loki stepped forward, feeling the undeniable fear that came with the uncertainty of being at the mercy of a madman. Somehow, it wasn't comforting to know that his life would be spared, no matter what atrocities befell him.

The other Loki crouched down in front of him, studying his scarred body with interest. "You've really made a mess of yourself," he said disapprovingly and shook his head. Yet, the hints of a cocky smile still remained on his lips. "Thanks for leaving all that blood behind, by the way. Jahla put every drop to good use."

_Well... attempted murder/suicide is messy,_ he thought coldly. _If only father hadn't stepped in..._

"Oh, just say it. I can practically glean the words off your mind. Won't it feel good to get all those pesky feelings off your chest and out in the open?"

_Ugh! The talking beforehand is the worst_. _Shut up and do it already. I'll take that blade to the sound of your voice anytime._

"I can tell you're reluctant. Maybe we should talk about... the girl."

He cringed before he could stop himself, causing the other Loki to grin appreciatively.

"There it is now, the true cause of your excitement this morning. She is a pretty little thing with a few surprises, I'd imagine. She must be such a kind-hearted soul to not be utterly repulsed by these scars."

He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth, his mind full of wishes and his heart with dread.

"Shall I threaten her? Will that loosen your tongue? Or do you really want me to draw the blood myself? I could get a little too enthusiastic."

Thoughts of Cami ever being at this man's mercy made his heart seize and the immediate, burning pain in his chest was indescribable.

He felt the blade's tip touch his forehead.

"Perhaps I'll start on these areas where Jahla's curse won't go. I'm not so vain as you and the loss of an eye would put you in excellent company, wouldn't it?"

"Drop the knife," an authoritative voice said and both Lokis looked to see Clint standing in the doorway of the showers in his sleepwear, yet with his prized Heckler & Koch P30 sidearm aimed and ready to fire.

The other Loki smiled widely. "Agent Barton, what an unexpected pleasure."

"I said drop it." Clint's expression showed the feeling was not mutual.

The other Loki released the blade, which fell a few inches from his hand and into another inter-dimensional space that opened and closed instantly.

"Are you so sure you want to get involved in this?" the other Loki asked, slowly rising to a standing position. "I'm not quite the same as when we parted last. This is an entirely new game with much more powerful tricks."

"Oh, I don't doubt it," Clint said coolly, "but he's my responsibility and I just can't stand by and let you hurt him."

While Loki appreciated the gesture, he could foresee how this was going to end and the devastating impact it would have on S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers and his dear Cami.

"Wait! Don't kill him," he begged just as a long tendril whipped out of the other Loki's body, striking Clint in the chest and sending him crashing to the floor.

A stretching sensation struck between Loki's shoulder blades then shot searing pain through him as the flesh tore. He muffled the scream the best he could, not wanting anyone else to come running right into the other Loki's path. Warm blood was oozing down his back as he looked first to Clint's unmoving form then to the other Loki.

"Pity you didn't cooperate sooner," his tormentor said, feigning sadness. "Bet this won't gain you any favors from your sexy sprite."

Loki shuddered and nearly vomited under the physical and emotional pain that overtook him. He futilely pulled at his bindings. His stare returned to Clint, praying there would be time to do something.

Once again drawing his blood blade, the other Loki circled round to press the metal against the wound as he had done many times before. It took only seconds for the blade to collect the blood, but they were torturously long. Then he said amicably, as if they were the best of friends sharing advice, "Do try to stay out of trouble. If you let anything happen to us, Jahla will unleash bloody terror upon your new friends, starting with the girl."

Loki did not look directly at him. He just waited for the sound of his boots to cross the tiled floor and disappear into the shadows beyond his view.

In the next moment the binding tendrils dissolved away and Loki lunged for Clint, putting his ear to his chest, which he discovered did not rise and fall against the side of his face. He also didn't hear a heartbeat.

Loki ran for the hallway, grabbing a towel off the stack in passing to wrap around his waist. Right around the corner he found the fire alarm and pulled it, sending a terrible buzzing ruckus throughout the facility. Then he returned to Clint and started CPR.

He'd taken the time to read up on the crude, Midgardian technique only because there was a directive which mandated that all S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel learn how to administer it.

The whole barracks seemed to converge on him at once, but luckily they were highly trained professionals who jumped into action once they interpreted the real situation.

Natasha dropped to her knees beside him and took over giving Clint breaths of air while Loki continued compressions. Hopper and the other Hellhounds rushed off to retrieve a gurney, med kit with adrenaline and atropine, and the emergency defibrillator.

Stark arrived in his Iron Man suit, demanding to know what had happened. He soon realized that no one had answers for him. So, he pulled the hysterical Cami out of the way of the arriving gurney and opened a channel to the facility commander.

"Commander Morris, we have injured men in the barracks area," Tony reported. "Lockdown the facility and start an active search for intruders."

Stark's next orders were to JARVIS about monitoring security cameras, which he issued on his way out to search the grounds.

Loki stopped the chest compressions so they could shift Clint to the gurney. Then Hopper jumped on the gurney too, straddled Clint and started compressions and breathing as Stott and Natasha pushed them down the hall in the direction of the infirmary.


	17. Chapter 17

_Fondest regards to those who have reviewed the last chapter for me: MikaCheshire, sv4me, featherstone5725, Ellize Avalon, Rossi's Lil Devil, darthmara93, deathtolightyagami, Sunnywynd, HawkeyeLover, Zorozee and MusicIsMySinn._

_I know I've said it before, but the sentiment is just as true now as it was then. I love you guys and gals! Thank you so much for bolstering my confidence with your appreciation of the story. _

_Also, please welcome to the world my newest nephew, Lincoln. If he's like his three siblings, he's going to be a mischief maker too._

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Seventeen:

Cami stood with her back in the corner as Tony had left her. She was shaking, yet her hysterics had quieted to more like confused mutterings. Slowly Cami raised her head, gazing past Agent Kotter to see them moving Clint away on the gurney.

Kotter stepped closer and leaned down to capture her attention and study her expression.

"Cami, can you walk?" he asked, having to raise his voice to be heard over the fire alarm.

"Loki...?"

"Loki's pulling on some clothes; then we're going to follow the others to the infirmary. We've got to stick together for safety until we find out what is happening."

Cami glanced around, but didn't see much with Kotter right in front of her.

Kotter checked both hallways before moving to look into the showers and retrieve Clint's gun from where it had dropped on the floor.

"Loki, you're bleeding pretty bad," Kotter said with concern through the doorway. "Are you going to be alright? 'Cause I think Cami might faint on us."

The words 'bleeding' and 'faint' seemed to echo in Cami's mind.

"Is this a dream?" she asked as Loki came around the corner bare chested, but wearing his sleep-pants. The world around was starting to look fuzzy. There was an ominously hazy outline around both guys that further confused her.

"Go ahead and think that if you want," Kotter said gently.

Loki put Cami's arm around his neck and picked her up so they could move more quickly to catch up with the others.

En route, the fire alarm shut off, though the red warning lights remained on.

The doctor was injecting adrenaline into Clint's system when Loki carried Cami into the infirmary. Clint's shirt had been sliced open so they could apply the leads to monitor his heart.

"Come on, Clint," Hopper kept saying as he continued compressions. There was an edge to his voice and anger in his eyes.

Kotter pulled Stott and Rodriguez out into the hall to free up space in the small infirmary. The one wall was mostly windows, so they could still see into the room.

Natasha stood off to the side with her arms crossed in front of her. Her expression was cold and withdrawn, which Cami understood was a defensive response to the situation, but frankly it angered her after all Clint and Natasha had been through together.

As soon as Loki put her down, Cami reached over and grabbed Natasha's arm.

"Nat, you have to talk to him! Clint always listens to you."

Nat's attention shifted to Cami. Her cool facade cracked and some color rushed into her pale features as she came to her senses.

Together they stepped up to the gurney, near Clint's head. Natasha took Clint's hand in hers then leaned down, touching her forehead to his temple and started speaking softly to him in private whispers meant for no one else's ears.

There wasn't much room left with all that was going on. Cami moved around Natasha and the nurse, who was giving him air through a mask with an attached bag. Once on the other side, she purposely crowded out the doctor who was only staring gravely at the monitor anyway.

Cami touched Clint's shoulder, giving it a strong squeeze.

There was blood on her hand and arm from coming in contact with Loki's wound when he carried her. The doctor noticed and glanced up long enough to determine that Cami wasn't injured, then moved away to prepare a second shot of adrenaline.

Cami leaned closer to Clint and immediately tears started in her eyes.

"I don't want to be alone," she told him, admitting her biggest fear and not caring who else heard. Her voice was heavy with emotion, almost catching in her tightening throat as she said, "I can't do this without you, Clint. I promise to be so good. Please, just come back to me."

"Jesus!" Hopper yelped, pulling back his hands as a dark, ghostly form like a snake rose up out of Clint's chest and turned toward Cami.

With a startled scream, Cami jumped away, causing the thing to hiss and quickly disappear back into Clint's chest.

Natasha exclaimed, "What the hell was that?!" She'd moved back a step, but still gripped Clint's hand.

Loki was quickly in motion. He nudged the stunned doctor out of his way and stepped up to the gurney with a determined, knowing expression. Loki looked over to Cami and held out his hand beckoning her to move closer.

Now Cami was freaked out on top of all the other volatile emotions churning inside her. She didn't want to move, but Loki's look was urgent. There was something inside her brother's body. If Loki knew what to do about that, how could she not comply? Plus, he was actually asking for her help. That meant something.

Cami stepped into Loki's reach, letting him draw her in front of him, facing the gurney. He wrapped his right arm around her middle then purposely wiped his left hand across his back to collect some of his blood. He smeared the warm blood on Cami's hand, making her cringe a little, then took her wrist in his grasp as he held her hand out over Clint's chest.

Cami was holding her breath and shaking within Loki's grasp while the tension in the room grew. Kotter, Stott and Rodriguez were all watching with wide eyes and bewildered expressions through the windows.

The doctor and the nurse had stepped back as far as they could without leaving the room.

"This doesn't seem safe," Hopper said.

"Clint would not approve of this," Natasha interjected. "You'd better know what you're doing, Loki."

"What do I do?" Cami whispered over her shoulder to Loki just in case they were supposed to be 'sneaking' up on it.

"Say it again," Natasha said to Cami, looking over her head to read Loki's expression.

_Say what?_ Cami puzzled. _That Clint is going to die and I'm going to be all alone?_

"Call it. Get that thing to come out of him," Natasha said firmly.

Her voice was shaking nearly as much as her body. "Come to me," Cami said, hearing the weakness in the words.

After a long moment, Loki's grip on her wrist tightened just a little bit. She took this to mean that she should keep trying.

Cami tapped into the emotions stirring within her, believing that Clint didn't have a chance with that thing inside him. "Come to me," she demanded. "Do as I say!"

Instantly, the incorporeal snake-thing slithered forth with glowing, silver eyes. It stretched upward toward their hands and when Cami tried to pull away from it again, Loki held her firmly in place.

In the bright lights of the infirmary, the snake-thing looked like a mixture of shadow, smoke and mist. It pushed up, grazing her trembling fingers with the top of its head which made the digits feel like she'd stuck them out the window on a subzero winter's day.

Another squeeze from Loki gave her courage.

"Come on out," Cami said to it. "Leave him."

It continued up the side of her hand, climbing and coiling around both hers and Loki's arms until finally its tail emerged from Clint's chest. By then, Cami's arm felt numb and cold up to her elbow, which is approximately how far up her arm the snake-thing's head had reached. Its body looked to be almost two feet long and was thin like a common garter snake.

Loki slowly backed up, pulling Cami with him as they carried the weightless shadow serpent away from the group and into the far corner of the room. It seemed content, not hissing or making any motion to strike either of them.

"Go, Hopper!" Natasha said urgently before giving Clint some breaths.

Visibly shaken, Hopper started the chest compressions again, but couldn't tear his eyes away from the snake-thing.

It was probably at least a minute later when the monitor beeped, announcing that Clint's heart had started beating. The doctor rushed forward to inject Clint with a drug to bolster his heart rate.

Natasha continued to give him breaths because he wasn't yet drawing in air on his own and the nurse looked unwilling to come any closer to their unusual visitor.

Stark entered the infirmary and took in the scene. "What the hell? Someone quickly catch me up on what I missed," he said.

Stepping down from the gurney, Hopper told Tony, "That thing was inside of Clint's chest. It seems to be drawn to blood, but it is following commands from Cami. They were able to lure it out of Clint so we could get his heart going again."

Tony listened carefully, taking in the heart monitor and Natasha's efforts before nodding. He was contemplating the situation, looking uncertain.

"This thing is really cold," Cami answered, shivering in her thin pajamas.

"Is it dangerous?" Tony asked Loki.

With Loki still behind her, Cami had to look up and back to see him nod his head.

_Then why did you get me involved in this?_ Cami thought, wondering if she should be upset that he seemed to disregard her safety or proud that he hadn't let his personal feelings cloud his judgement.

Loki's answer did not please Tony. "It looks magical. Can we kill it?"

This time Loki shook his head.

He released Cami's middle, pulling his right arm behind his back to collect some more of the blood. Then he cautiously reached out for the shadow serpent, which started to hiss softly and draw back from him, showing four small fangs instead of the expected two.

"Careful," Toni said firmly.

"It's OK," Cami cooed at it. The fear was creeping back into her voice. She didn't know what else to do, but try to continue to help Loki, though she was growing more frightened the longer the situation dragged on.

Natasha stopped giving the breaths, placing her cheek near Clint's mouth and nose. After a few seconds, she reported, "Clint's breathing!"

"His heart rate has picked up too," the doctor added, peeking over at the heart monitor.

"Good enough for me. Let's clear the room," Tony said.

The doctor pulled the leads off Clint's chest. Then Natasha and the medical staff pushed the gurney out into the hallway with the waiting Hellhounds.

When Tony didn't budge, Hopper chose to stay too.

"If you've got a plan, Loki," Tony said, "tell us how to help."

"He can't talk without hurting himself more!" Cami snapped at Tony, too tense to take it to heart that he was worried about their well being.

With Cami's show of anger, the serpent turned its head toward Stark and hissed menacingly.

Tony asked, "Why the hell is that thing reacting to her that way?"

"I think it believes she is the person who summoned it from Niflheim," Loki answered softly, catching everyone off guard with his willingness to talk. "She has one of my spellbooks. Her essence has probably been tainted with shadow magic."

"That thing is from the realm of death and mist?" Toni asked. Apparently he'd been doing some research, because he looked horrified and furious.

"Oh no," Cami whispered. The realm of death and mist sounded bad.

Loki bit back a grimace, leaning first into Cami, then against the wall. Cami was keeping an eye on the snake, so she didn't know where his new injury had appeared.

Cami said with some desperation, "Maybe I can tell it to go away."

"It has no natural ability to travel between Midgard and Niflheim," Loki answered with a wince, "and we have no means to send it thus."

This news was further upsetting to her, especially when Loki gave out another cry of pain, but kept himself hidden out of her sight.

Loki tried to touch the serpent again, managing to get much closer to it this time before it drew back, looking more agitated.

Cami looked up at Loki's pain-filled eyes. "Should I order it?" she asked him.

Loki nodded.

Leveling her gaze on the serpent, Cami said firmly, "Go to him."

The creature hesitated, but slowly moved toward the offered hand and started climbing Loki's arm. As soon as Cami was completely free of the serpent's body, Loki slipped his left hand between them and started to push her away.

"Cami, slowly make your way over to me," Hopper instructed her.

She did as she was told, turning back to look only as she reached Hopper's side. Thankfully, warmth was already returning to her flesh.

Loki was watching the serpent curl itself around his arm. He did not look as concerned as Cami thought he should.

He had two long, heavily-bleeding tears, one on his stomach and the other along his right collarbone.

Tony asked, "Now what do we do?"

"Nothing," Loki said. "I think I'll have just what I need now."

Another wound opened on Loki's chest in his left pectoral muscle.

He screamed out something that didn't sound like any language Cami had ever heard before; then suddenly everyone was plunged into a cold, unnatural darkness.

All Cami could see was black. She gasped at the instantaneous drop in temperature. The darkness chilled and nipped at her skin. It slipped into her nose and throat when she breathed, sweeping into her lungs and making her chest hurt.

"JARVIS, activate the suit lights," Tony ordered.

"I already did, sir," was the A.I.'s response.

"Shit! I still can't see anything."

"Everyone hold tight," Hopper said with authority. There wasn't much they could do anyway.

After several seconds, the people in the hallway reported that the darkness had begun to recede back into the confines of the infirmary. A little longer and Cami caught sight of some light at the edge of her vision. She started to blink her eyes to help them adjust to the conversion and felt warmth overtake her as the darkness withdrew toward the corner and into Loki.

Loki was on his hands and knees on the floor, but pushed himself up onto his haunches to return the stares coming at him from the group.

To Cami's astonishment, Loki's eyes were shining silver.

"Where did all the blood go?" Tony asked, drawing the group's attention to the fact that other than the stains on his pants, there wasn't a visible drop of blood on Loki. Even his newest wounds had stopped bleeding.

Hopper held up Cami's hand. "His blood is gone from her too."

"No more snake," Tony added, casting his gaze down and around to be sure.

Natasha marched back into the room. "Loki, what did you do?"

Loki looked weary. He stood, but stumbled back into the corner.

Cami crossed quickly to Loki so she could help steady him and give his wounds a little closer inspection. "These will need to be stitched up," she said.

She also noted that the green returned to Loki's eyes.

"Maybe he can just heal them," Tony said with an edge to his voice, "since it seems that he's back to casting spells now."

Loki lifted his gaze from Cami to look at Stark. He shook his head, seeming to deny the accusation.

Cami chose to ignore Stark. She gently touched Loki's cheek, which felt unusually cold. "You should probably lie down, wrapped up in a few blankets."

"Tony," Natasha said with a frown, "he's obviously very weak and he saved Clint's life. Can you stop being a bastard for a few minutes please?"

"Loki casts some serious magic, even though he's supposed to be mortal now, and suddenly I'm the bad guy. Geez, you ex-criminals really do stick together."

Natasha glared back at him.

With a sigh of exasperation at Stark's attitude, Hopper turned back to the door. "Dan, wheel Clint back in here. Gary, Marcus, go get that other bed out of the storage room next door for Loki."

Tony said gruffly as he stepped out of the way of the gurney, "I'll call Fury then. He's going to want to know what happened."

"WE don't even know what happened," Cami pointed out.

"JARVIS was monitoring the camera feeds. So, we'll start there. I'm sure Nick will have some questions for me to bring back to Loki."

No one challenged Stark as he stormed out of the infirmary, the weight of his suit making his every angry step even more pronounced.

* * *

Clint woke to find his two favorite girls at his bedside. Cami was curled up asleep in a lounge chair. Natasha was sitting on a metal folding chair, her attention on the screen of a hand-held computer that looked like it might be the one they'd given to Loki.

"Did someone beat the hell out of me?" Clint asked with a groan.

Natasha put aside the computer and climbed to her feet. "Your heart stopped and there were complications with the CPR. The doctor says you actually held up really well. You've got a broken sternum and a couple cracked ribs."

"Oh." That explained a lot about how he felt.

"Do you remember anything that happened?"

"Um... yeah; sorta." Clint was surprised by how quickly his memories surfaced. "There's another Loki. He doesn't like our Loki all that much and he is seriously bad news."

"Two Lokis," Natasha said, casting her attention across the small room and drawing Clint's gaze to their Loki sleeping on a gurney against the far wall under a small mountain of blankets.

"The other Loki is working with someone named Jahla. It sounded like they've been using our Loki's blood to make the other one stronger," Clint said.

Natasha took in this information with a growing look of concern.

She said, "We don't know much, but some stuff happened that I'm sure you'd like to know before Director Fury arrives." She reached for the computer. "I've got video footage that Stark pulled from the security system."

"Is everyone else alright?"

"Loki has sustained serious injuries again. The rest of us are all fine, if you don't count that Stark's on a bit of a rampage."

Clint looked, but didn't find anything resembling the controls there would be on a standard hospital bed. "Help me sit up," he said.

Natasha managed to get the gurney to cooperate, but the effort caused enough noise to wake Cami.

"Hey," she said with a smile to her brother. "Did Nat tell you how badly you scared us?"

"Not exactly, but I bet it was pretty upsetting," Clint admitted. He really didn't want to go into all the details if he could avoid it.

Natasha queued up the video footage and gave him the computer. "Obviously there are no cameras in the shower area. We didn't see who attacked you, but the camera outside the showers did capture this."

Clint could see himself on the screen, standing in the entryway of the showers with his gun drawn. The camera must have been above and to the right of where he stood.

He started the video, realizing that it hadn't been enhanced for optimum sound. His verbal exchange with the other Loki was much too soft. With some focus, he could probably recall what they had said to each other though.

The video showed just how fast the strike from Loki had hit him. Clint hadn't managed to get a single shot off, no matter how ineffective, before he was laid out.

Clint chose to rewind the video and watch it again a few more times before letting it move on to Loki pulling the fire alarm and starting CPR on him.

Clint got really uncomfortable as the scene played out on the screen and it wasn't because Loki had given him mouth-to-mouth. It had been the look of terror and desperation on Cami's face that eventually caused him to pause the video.

"The part you'll really want to see happened here in the infirmary," Natasha said softly, acutely aware of his discomfort. She took the computer and advanced the video.

Clint noted that Cami was looking tense as he took possession of the computer again. "Something you want to tell me, kiddo?" he asked her.

"It will look really scary, but... I'm fine. So, don't get all worked up."

"Um, OK. Maybe I shouldn't have asked."

Again the sound was useless and the camera angle a little less-than-ideal, but as soon as he saw the group's reactions, he had to rewind the video and zoom in to find out what he wasn't quite seeing. The image was pixelated, but he could tell that something had come out of his chest when Cami drew near to him.

"When you got hit with that spell, it must have put this thing inside of you," Natasha said.

"Why aren't I in quarantine?" Clint asked, becoming further agitated.

"It's OK," Cami said, reaching out to touch his arm reassuringly. "Loki got it out. Just watch."

Clint watched the rest of the video in silence, though the changing emotions on his features probably spoke volumes to them.

He handed the computer back to Natasha. "I can see why Stark is so upset."

"Please don't get angry with Loki," Cami begged. "He saved your life and probably all of ours by getting rid of that misty snake-thing."

"How did he do that, by-the-way?" Clint asked, choosing not to address his sister's plea at the moment.

"We have no idea. He's been asleep for hours. Whatever he did, it took a lot out of him."

Cami said, "The doctor said Loki has classic symptoms of anemia, but like they said in D.C. he doesn't type close enough to any blood they have in storage. He's just going to have to recover on his own like before."

Natasha said, "His body temperature dropped too, but has been rising slowly."

Clint stared at Loki for several long moments. Underneath his human appearance, he was supposed to be Jotun, a Frost Giant. How cold was too cold for him?

Clint sighed. "It's just one thing after another with this team. Perhaps we've been too appropriately named."

Natasha nodded, not looking as amused as Clint had hoped.

"You said that Fury is on his way?"

"Yeah. He talked to Stark, saw the video and caught the next bird out," Natasha said. "I haven't heard what his mood is on this so far."

"I doubt it's good."

"Hopper took the Streak to rendezvous with him. I expect them back in the next hour or so."

"It would be nice if we got a chance to talk with Loki before Nick gets here. Have you tried to wake him?"

"No. The doctor said to let him sleep. He wanted to hook him up to a bunch of stuff and give him some meds, but Loki would only let him stitch up his wounds."

"He doesn't like doctors," Clint said.

"Can't say I blame him," Cami said sadly. "He spends so much time in the hospital thanks to that damn curse."

Clint sat up even further, causing discomfort in his taped chest. With a wince, he said, "Someone grab me a uniform and some painkillers. I refuse to be debriefed in a hospital bed."

"I'll go," Natasha said, leaving Clint to deal with the look Cami was currently giving him with her sad puppy-dog-eyes.

"I came a little unglued in the hallway when I thought you were dead," Cami said softly. "Sorry I acted like that in front of your friends."

"It's not a big deal," Clint said to make her feel better. In truth, it was damn important to have field agents who could keep their cool - especially when faced with shocking and emotional situations. That sort of discipline took longer for some to develop - or they eventually quit field service for less taxing positions in S.H.I.E.L.D.

Clint added, "It looked to me like you pulled it together pretty quick."

Cami shrugged. Her gaze shifted between him and the blankets.

Clint watched her swallow hard and blink away tears, trying not to let him see just how badly she was shaken.

_God, she's trying so hard, but... I don't know if she can do this._

"Sorry I scared you," he said, feeling that he should mention her distress as respectfully as possible.

"I thought my whole world was ending," Cami admitted. "I realize that you must have felt so alone when mom and dad died."

This wasn't where he'd wanted this conversation to go. So, he clenched his teeth, suppressed the urge to access those memories and answered her with a simple nod.

Clint decided that he needed to employ a distraction to get them back on track with the priority issues of the moment.

"See if you can wake your boyfriend." As expected, his choice of words surprised her. "I doubt he'll want to be in bed or in his pajamas when Director Fury gets here. The whole team needs to be in uniform, calm, collected and ready to answer some very tough questions."

"Am I in trouble again?" she asked, clearly uncertain.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Most of this is going to be aimed at Loki. Fallout for the rest of us will depend a lot on the facts and how they're spun."

"The best we can do is to tell the truth, right?"

He was proud to hear her say that, even if she'd turned it into a question. "Yeah. Always tell your boss the truth - unless, of course, you shouldn't."


	18. Chapter 18

_As always, my heartfelt appreciation to my devoted reviewers Ellize Avalon, darthmara93, Rossi's Lil Devil, HawkeyeLover, featherstone5725 and pure-black-wings._

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Eighteen:

Surrounded in thick mist and twilight gloom, Loki endured the crushing despair of Niflheim and its eternal winter. He hoped he was just dreaming, but the vivid images looming in his mind and the debilitating chill in his core would not abate, no matter how hard he tried to push them away.

He had no physical body in this nightmare, yet it felt like he was being restrained. When he looked around, a vast sea of dead, pallid faces stared back at him. Something about his presence seemed to mesmerize these lost and forgotten souls and they hindered his return to consciousness by merely wanting him to remain.

Loki knew that he had brought this torment upon himself and not entirely for selfless reasons. Perhaps that is why this dream state had such an unbreakable hold on him.

A distant, angelic voice called for him to awaken. It was Cami, of course, but the hollow moaning of the dead rose up to drown her out.

* * *

Cami could see the tension in Clint's body when he and Natasha left the infirmary to meet up with the director in the hangar. Natasha was also on edge, but Cami suspected her issues were more about Clint being out of bed in his injured condition, than in possible consequences from Loki's stunt.

Cami remained with Loki, continuing to try to wake him.

They had added an electric blanket to the bottom of his pile and jacked up the thermostat in the room, all in the hopes of getting his body temperature to stabilize.

Cami had even sent out a plea for assistance to Heimdall to pass along to the royal family in Asgard. So, she shouldn't have been so surprised when she saw Clint and Natasha returning with Nick Fury, King Odin and Queen Frigga.

"Still no luck?" Clint asked Cami as he stepped into the room, holding the door for the others.

"None; and it feels like he's getting colder," Cami reported.

"Maybe we'd better get the doctor back in here," Nick Fury said, eyeing Loki grimly.

"I think the doctor has given up," Natasha said with mild disgust. "He wasn't exactly prepared to deal with these unusual circumstances."

Frigga was the first of the new arrivals to come right up to the bed. She touched Loki purposefully on the face, neck and chest, gathering information with her careful examination.

"Did you see the video?" Cami asked Frigga, but also shot a look over to Odin.

"Yes, Cami, we did," Odin said.

Frigga muttered with an air of exasperation, "He's lucky to be alive."

"What did he do exactly?" Clint asked. "We didn't think he could use magic."

"It's hard to explain," Odin admitted, shaking his head and looking weary. "Frigga, my dear, what can you tell us?"

"This is going to take some time to sort out," she said.

"Please keep us advised," Fury said respectfully to the king and queen. "You three," he indicated Cami, Clint and Natasha, "come with me."

What Cami assumed was going to be a lecture aimed at the Mischief Makers, turned out to be a gathering with the Hellhounds too. Nick pulled them all into the rec room, passed out some beers to everyone except Clint, who was on strong painkillers, and ordered them to start talking. He wanted to know everything they knew or thought they knew about Loki in reference to the most recent incidents.

Stott said after several minutes of discussion, "He's actually made an effort to act like a team member the last few days. Personally, I like the guy."

"The dude is freakin' awesome at just about everything he tries to do," Kotter said next. "I'd like to keep him on our side if we can manage it."

"Since we know now that there's two Lokis," Fury said, "it might be too dangerous to let our Loki return to the helicarrier with the other one gunning for him."

Clint clarified, "He doesn't want to kill our Loki. He needs his blood for what he calls 'enhancements'."

"Magic is not an area S.H.I.E.L.D. has much experience with," Hopper pointed out. "If we harbor Loki, we're asking for trouble."

Cami had said nothing thus far. Her unopened beer sat on the table beside her chair. She had been reading their expressions, trying to be objective and not think about Loki's current condition. Then suddenly everyone's eyes were on her.

"What?" she asked with confusion.

"Anything to share?" Fury asked her.

"No." Cami stared at her shoes to avoid the director's intense gaze.

"Spill it. What's on your mind, Miss Barton?"

"We issued him a uniform," Cami said softly. "Loki signed all the paperwork. He's done everything we've asked of him so far, and now that his past comes back to bite him, we're going to cut him loose?"

"Cami, we didn't say we were," Natasha said. "We just might not be the allies he needs."

"How could I ever let him face Loki and Jahla again alone?"

"You couldn't," Clint said. "I don't want to ask you to either."

Fury pressed, "We are not equipped to fight magic."

"King Odin told me himself that the time has come to forge alliances between the realms. Asgard has protected our world in the past. Why can't we ask them for help?"

"We would certainly give it," King Odin said, stepping into the room and catching everyone off guard. "Please forgive my interruption," he said politely. "I come with news."

Fury welcomed him into their group with a nod. "How is Loki?"

Odin looked calmer than when he had arrived in the infirmary. "All things considered, he is doing better now."

"What can you tell us?" Natasha asked.

"At his trial, I suppressed Loki's ability to access his magic, but I didn't remove his knowledge of it. What he did today wasn't casting a spell. He provoked a magical occurrence by using ancient words of power."

Fury asked, "What sort of magical occurrence?"

"He utterly destroyed that creature," Odin said.

"So, he can destroy something anytime he wants to, just by knowing these words?" Hopper asked with visible concern.

"No, it doesn't work that way," Odin said. "Though Loki couldn't cast magic, there was magic present. The blood curse, my spell, plus the residual magic around his scars... all of that came to bear when he invoked those words. Plus, he had his intended target - the serpent, a magical creature. He also had a powerful catalyst - his blood, spilled through magical means. This was an act of opportunity that nearly killed him. He will not be repeating it."

"How can you be so sure?" Nick asked firmly. "Absolutes are rare in this world."

Odin understood the director's skepticism. "The curse is gone," he said, "along with the residual magic around his scars. They were burned up in the attempt to undo the serpent. The spell I put on him fractured under the strain, allowing his Jotun physiology to partially surface through the cracks."

"That's why he was cold? It was his Jotun side coming through?" Cami clarified.

"Yes, the frigid grip of Niflheim was trying to claim him and it was the only way for his body to fight back. I had no choice but to remove my spell on him completely so he could return to his natural Jotun form."

"You're no longer suppressing his magic?" Clint asked. "How do we know he won't just blink away and escape?"

"There is no need to suppress his magic now, Agent Barton. Loki doesn't have any magic left, nor can he shapeshift." There was rising anger in Odin's features as he further explained. "My son says that the blood sorceress took those abilities from him and gave them to his double."

Cami couldn't identify all the mixed emotions she felt. "He is stuck in Jotun form with no magic?" she asked.

Odin nodded. "For now we are letting him rest and recuperate. He will heal faster this way. I promised I would return him to his human form later if he wished."

Cami could only imagine how Loki was feeling now. At least he would be able to talk about his experiences with them with the curse gone.

"Does he need anything?" Natasha asked, looking solemn.

"His only request was that we examine Agent Barton's injuries and try to provide some assistance in healing him." Odin looked at Clint. "Will that be alright?"

"Yes. Thank you, your majesty," Clint said, looking very appreciative.

"We still have unanswered questions," Nick Fury said.

"As do I," Odin assured him. "Loki has just regained his voice and it appears that he is hesitant to say too much. I wish to give him time to collect his thoughts."

The king turned to leave.

Natasha followed along as Clint climbed painfully off the couch. She suggested the use of Clint and Loki's room for the examination as they met up with Odin in the hall.

Director Fury gestured Cami to come over to him when she met his gaze.

"Yes, sir?" she asked, moving to the seat closest to him.

"How was driving?"

This seemed like an odd topic for the moment with all that was going on.

"It was really fun."

"I haven't had time to review the footage, but Stark thinks you were holding back. Is that true?"

"Well...the vehicles are expensive. I was trying to be careful."

Nick nodded, examining her features closely. After several moments, he asked Hopper and the guys to clear out so he and Cami could have the room.

_Oh no, _Cami thought with apprehension. One-on-one time with Nick almost always meant she was in trouble.

Once they were alone, Fury asked in a guarded, yet serious tone, "Are you sleeping with Loki?"

Caught ill-prepared, Cami wondered if this was one of those times that she normally shouldn't tell her boss the truth. Of course, when working for S.H.I.E.L.D. no part of an agent's life was really personal.

The truth wasn't too painful in this instance. "Not yet," she answered.

Nick's expression didn't change at all. "Is this going to be a problem?" he asked.

"How can I judge something like that? I've been out of classes for weeks with all that's been going on. Regaining focus on my studies will be hard." The uncertainty had to be visible on her face. She had definitely heard it in her own voice.

"We let Loki test out of some courses. Would you like that same opportunity? It would free up time for your combat training," he offered.

"Yeah, I guess."

After another long, drawn out pause Fury said, "I wasn't going to bring this up until you were back at the helicarrier, but this might be the best time for us to talk. The Council is asking me to justify your presence on this team. They understand putting two top agents as Loki's supervisors and trainers, but your placement has them stumped."

Cami frowned, instantly feeling intimidated by the power she knew the Council wielded over her and everyone else in S.H.I.E.L.D.

"If I remove you from the Mischief Makers, what do you think Loki's reaction is going to be?"

_Oh no, _Cami thought. Her spirits fell.

"If I made him think I wanted off the team, I think he'd be alright with it," Cami said, forcing out the words before she could think them over too much. "As long as he still could see me."

She looked away, unable to maintain eye contact for fear that she was going to start crying or something worse.

Nick noticed. "That really hurt, didn't it?"

_Please don't rub it in._

"Yes, sir. It does hurt."

"Dr. Montoya says I coddle you too much."

Though there wasn't much change in his demeanor, Cami guessed that the therapist's accusation had stung him a bit.

"Did you tell her to go to hell?" Cami asked softly.

"Yes, I did. Then I called the Council and told them the truth about why you are a member of the Mischief Makers."

Cami dared to look at him, needing to hear his reason.

"Not only did you insist that I give Loki a chance, but you also stuck with him through this hard transition. You basically stepped in as his unofficial handler, and he obviously cares a great deal about your opinion of him."

Cami knew that was the truth.

"Now it's become apparent that you've improved our relationship with Asgard; another fact that I'll pass along to the Council."

"When will the Council make their decision?"

"I don't know. Once I make my report to them on this new information, they'll have other things to worry about."

Cami was trying not to take any of this personally. Fury knew her, but the Council didn't. Obviously, her accomplishments were few and not-so-impressive when compared to any of the real agents.

"I'm still in training. How did my career suddenly become such a big deal?"

"You can definitely blame that on Loki," Nick said. "Whether he's the villain or one of the good guys, he's always going to be in the spotlight. You might want to think hard on that fact before you get any more involved with him."

* * *

Frigga had joined in on Clint's examination when Cami peeked in the room. Realizing that Loki was probably alone, Cami headed his way.

The curtains were drawn over the infirmary windows from the inside. To her surprise, Stark stepped out into the hallway right before she got there. He saw her and promptly shut the door.

"I don't suggest visiting him right now," Stark said, looking unsettled and a bit guilt-ridden as he blocked the door.

"Why? What did you do?" Cami asked accusingly.

"I had a chance to speak to Odin and thought I should apologize to Loki for reacting the way I did earlier. I guess there were a few important points I didn't catch from the quick conversation. I walked right in and..."

"Saw him."

"Yeah. He scared the hell out of me."

"That's not his fault. You didn't say anything mean, did you?"

"I don't know. Maybe something about him looking like Gargamel had crossbred with the Smurfs. It's possible I just thought that though, and it didn't actually come out of my mouth."

Cami sighed with deep disappointment while she glared at him. "You are a real jerk, you know that?"

"Whatever I said or thought, I did manage to get my apology out before he rudely asked me to leave. I'm really sorry if I hurt his feelings with my unmanly scream."

Cami studied his features, fending off the urge to physically strike him. At least he appeared genuinely sorry, even if he had to make a joke out of it.

"Do you ever look before you leap, Stark? You might be a genius, but sometimes you're an idiot."

After a pause, he conceded her point with a small, quirky smile. "Pepper has said the same thing."

She softened her glare, deciding that he was safe from retaliation for the time being.

Tony said, "I'm heading out. Pepper's expecting me at the tower. Tell him sorry again, will ya? That is, if he lets you in. I'm pretty sure he locked the door the moment I shut it."

Her wave probably looked more like a 'good-riddance' gesture than a friendly farewell as he strode away, but her mind was now actively thinking only about Loki.

She tried the door and found it was indeed locked.

Stepping close to it, she called out, "Loki, it's Cami. Can I come in, please? Stark's gone."

"I know," was his quick, yet weighted response.

"He told me how sorry he felt."

Loki sounded both angry and annoyed. "The door is thin. I heard your entire exchange with him perfectly."

"I'm sorry if he hurt your feelings with the Smurf comment," Cami sympathized. "Tony sucks on so many levels sometimes."

"How could he hurt my feelings if I don't understand the reference?" he asked. There was still too much emotion in his words for it to have meant nothing to him, Cami realized.

She allowed the smallest amount of desperation to come out in her tone as she asked, "Please let me in."

It took him awhile to think her request over before he answered with a sad, yet decisive-sounding, "Not this time."

After almost losing her brother, being told she might not be a Mischief Maker much longer and then Loki's refusal to let her comfort him, Cami couldn't suppress the pain that burned in her chest and crept up her throat.

Though his refusal hurt, she did try again to be understanding and not make this all about her.

"Then let's just talk," she said. "We haven't had this opportunity before, right?"

She heard him sigh and decided he must be directly on the other side of the door.

"I really just want to be left alone," he said with restrained agitation.

Cami instantly thought of Thor's words back in Loki's room in Asgard. Thor and his friends had learned over the years to leave Loki alone when he was in his rooms because that was what he wanted.

"OK." Cami turned from the door and walked away, letting herself wander a bit as she fought to keep her emotions in check.

When she came around the corner near the cafeteria, Cami bumped into Stott and Rodriguez and nearly ended up on her rear.

"Whoa! Cami are you OK?" Stott asked her, but she pulled away from his helpful, steadying hands. She doubted she could speak and hold herself together.

Cami hurried away from them, deciding that she needed to get outside where she wouldn't feel so enclosed. The first exit she found put her out by the track at the south fence, where she finally felt she could take in a deep breath of air.

That's when the tears started falling in earnest and she sobbed openly, clinging to the chainlink fence and looking out onto the course.

It was several minutes later when the door behind her opened and then shut heavily. The gravel crunched underfoot as someone approached. A hand grasped her shoulder, kneading it gently.

"I'm fine," Cami instantly lied, wiping and rubbing at her eyes. "I'm just tired."

"Hawkeye said you might need a friend," said a warm, feminine voice that, though it sounded familiar, didn't make immediate sense to her addled brain. Cami spun around and had to look up to meet Sif's gaze.

"Sif!" Cami stepped into the warrior's embrace and squeezed her tight. "How?"

Sif smiled brightly, pleased to have surprised Cami. She enthusiastically explained, "The queen needed some supplies for your brother's medicine. I was in the healing room when King Odin arrived to get them. He said I could come to Midgard with him if I made myself useful."

Cami hugged her again. "This is so cool! How long will you get to stay?"

"I do not know," she admitted. "I should assume this is a brief visit."

"I really am glad to see you."

"I can listen if you wish to talk about why you were so upset," Sif said.

"It's been a hard day," Cami admitted.

"Hawkeye and Black Widow told me about it. I assume Loki is in one of his moods. Was he mean to you?"

Sif did know Loki well.

"I don't think it was his intention to hurt my feelings," Cami said. She wiped the last of her tears away. Some had already dried on her cheeks. "He's embarrassed about his appearance. I shouldn't have assumed he would let me in."

"The first time I saw a Jotun was in a book. They can be very unsettling," Sif said, "especially in person."

"I want him to trust me," Cami said. "No matter how frightening he thinks he looks, I don't think it would matter that much to me - even if it was permanent."

"Thankfully, it will not be. His majesty has promised. You will be able to cheer Loki after that."

"I hope this doesn't take too long," Cami said.

They had plans for Clint and Natasha with a rapidly approaching deadline; plus they had made some promises for their own private time, which Cami wasn't giving up on - despite the ever-increasing number of interested parties. Loki's blue-phase was just another inconvenience to add to the list of recent obstacles.


	19. Chapter 19

_Sweet! Mischief Makers hit 100 reviews!_

_Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed for me – especially Loki'sdreamer, darthmara93, Ellize Avalon, Rossi's Lil Devil and HawkeyeLover for their recent comments. I put this chapter together as quick as I could for ya._

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Nineteen:

Since their return to the helicarrier had been delayed with the day's events, everyone was basically hanging out. After a few hours of this, Nick interrupted a big group of them congregating in Clint's room getting to know Sif a little better.

"Hopper, Romanoff, get everyone out on the track. The day is wasting away. If the king and queen don't require her assistance, Sif can go with you," Nick ordered. "I'll be out shortly."

"Yes, sir," Hopper said as the others fell in behind him.

"Sif, come see our cool cars," Cami said, gesturing enthusiastically for the warrior to follow.

Clint wished he was going with them. If the Queen of Asgard hadn't specifically asked him to stay in bed, he would have been up and about as before. He certainly felt a hundred times better since Frigga had applied her medicine to his chest. He wasn't completely free from the pain, but it was more manageable that it had been on just the painkillers.

Fury stepped into the room once everyone else was out. He reported to Clint, "Loki has locked himself in the infirmary, disabled the camera and hacked into the facility security system to delete all the footage of himself in his Jotun form."

"The backups too?"

Nick took a seat at the table. "Of course"

Clint couldn't stop from smiling. He was amused and kind of proud. "Well, we did let him study up on a lot of stuff like that."

Nick thought about it and slowly smiled too. "We're going to regret all the freedom and knowledge we've given him, aren't we?"

"Yeah, probably," Clint said. "What's up? You still look agitated."

"The Council's closely examining everything we have on Loki. Unfortunately, their interest has spread to the rest of the team as well."

Clint could see where this was heading. "They don't approve of Cami," he guessed.

Nick said, "They want me to put the Mischief Makers out in the field as soon as possible. It's been suggested that I replace Cami with someone more mature and experienced."

"They've only suggested it?" Clint asked.

"You know how they are sometimes. 'Strongly suggest' is a breath away from a direct order."

Clint found it was hard to be objective when it felt like his sister was being short-changed. "Cami's been trying really hard. Can't we find a way to show off her talents a little more? I mean... she's a smart and perceptive person, Nick."

"I'll try to keep the Council distracted. Maybe Agent Hill will have some ideas. Meanwhile, you have got to get Cami through combat training. Do whatever it takes."

"That's the plan, sir. I'm just trying to figure out how to get things rolling."

* * *

Loki was sitting on the gurney, working on his computer when Odin appeared back in the infirmary.

"Come to lecture me?" Loki asked, stealing a quick glance in the king's direction.

"I'm sure you will perceive it that way," Odin said. "I had a chance to speak alone with Director Fury. He is very impressed with your skills and contributions."

Loki's fingers never slowed on the keyboard as Odin spoke.

"Stop doing that," Odin said angrily, indicating the computer. "Show me a little respect."

Loki stopped typing, took in a deep breath and tossed his computer aside, not caring where or how roughly it landed. "I'm just a puppet - another soldier in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s ranks. Anyone with half a brain impresses them."

"It is odd that you would say that."

"Why? Because I'm actually telling the truth?"

"They weren't impressed with your magic or claims of omnipotence before, Loki. They might have feared you, but they did not value you. These people have become your friends."

"I never called them such," Loki insisted.

"Yet, they still think of you as one of them and are willing to forgive your past. They only ask that you return that trust and loyalty."

Loki let his anger rise up to squelch all other sentiment.

"I'm not the same person you sent to live with the Frost Giants," Loki said bitterly. If you had sent me here first, the humans would have thrown me in prison and let me rot there. They are not as forgiving as you believe."

Odin said softly, "You don't know that for certain."

Loki's anger was faltering as so many thoughts and emotions fought to override each other.

"I came to Midgard defeated and ready to die. Cami saw me as an opportunity to improve her own standing and I had no choice but to play her games."

"A lie, even if based in some truth, is still a lie," Odin said with a frown. "You are attempting to distance yourself from your friends because you know they are in danger now. Using your current situation as an excuse somehow makes it easier for you. Well, I won't listen to it."

_Typical, _Loki thought.

"Listening was never your strong suit, Father. Giving speeches is so much easier."

"I know I am not without blame, but this is about you. You're frustrated and scared and you can't hide behind your silence any longer," Odin said. "If you prefer they fear you instead of caring about you, then why hide in here? Go deliver your insults to those who have shown you such kindness and acceptance. Be every bit the monster you wish to be, if that is how you truly feel."

Loki rolled his eyes, knowing full well that Odin was just trying to provoke an emotional response from him. "You never should have sent me here."

"There are many things I should apologize for," Odin said, "but sending you to Earth will not be one of them. Being here has done you good, whether you choose to see it or not."

* * *

"Damn, what has gotten into you, Cami?" Kotter asked through the com. "You've been outmaneuvering me through every obstacle."

"Don't like a taste of your own medicine, huh?" Natasha jabbed at Kotter.

Cami giggled merrily.

"Seems that she's not being so cautious now," Fury commented, sounding pleased. "Finish your runs and bring the vehicles in for the night."

Driving had been a nice distraction from her troubles, though Cami wished Clint and Loki had been there to see what she could really do.

Sif was waiting with Fury when Cami pulled her S.T.A.V. into the garage. She climbed out and walked over to them.

"Now that's more like it," Nick said. "Very nice driving, Miss Barton."

"Thanks."

Everyone else pulled into the garage in rapid succession. After congratulating them on their efforts, Fury sent the group to dinner.

Natasha accompanied Cami and Sif to the cafeteria, but only stayed long enough to fill two plates. Then she headed off to eat with Clint in his room.

Odin and Frigga stepped into the doorway a little later while Cami was explaining to Sif the composition of meatloaf. The girls jumped up from their table and went to join them.

"Any news on Loki?" Cami asked immediately.

"We're going to take him to Asgard," Frigga said after Odin hesitated to respond.

"Oh," Cami said, her features slipping into a frown. "You'll heal him up and bring him back?"

Odin's features tightened and Frigga actually paled a bit.

"No," Odin said sadly. "I'm afraid not."

"Then he wants to leave," Cami surmised, her face suddenly feeling warm despite the air-conditioned room.

Frigga reached out a supportive hand, touching Cami gently on the arm. "He's confused and upset about all that has transpired. He's overreacting."

"He does do that on occasion," Sif confirmed, looking crestfallen.

Cami asked, "Does anyone else know?"

"I informed Director Fury. He has gone to tell your brother and Miss Romanoff," King Odin answered. "I made it clear to Loki that I would not take him anywhere until his teammates had a chance to say goodbye to him."

The queen stayed at her side with an arm around her shoulders as they walked to the infirmary. Sif was on her other side, matching Cami's shorter strides and looking sad. Odin was behind them.

Clint and Nat were already standing at the infirmary door. Cami heard Clint say as her group walked up, "Loki knows about Cami; you leaving is not going to protect her from him."

_Is that what he's trying to do? Protect me? _Cami wondered. She really wasn't sure. The situation had come unraveled too fast for her to comprehend anything.

Natasha stepped back to let Cami have her spot.

Moving away from the queen and Sif, Cami slipped up against the door and next to her brother. Her voice was low and shaky as she started to talk, progressively getting louder. "I'm sorry if I've done the wrong thing dragging you into S.H.I.E.L.D. I'm just a kid and I get these dumb ideas in my head sometimes."

Loki did not respond.

Cami's heart ached. Tears stung her eyes as Clint pulled her close.

"This isn't your fault," he said to her. "He doesn't want you to get hurt."

"Did he say that?"

"Does he really have to?" Clint offered her a small smile. "We're Bartons. Sometimes we just know these things, right?"

"I don't want him to leave," Cami confessed. "I need him, and he needs us too."

"Tell him that," Natasha prompted.

"The door's thin. He can hear us." Cami wiped at her eyes, hoping she didn't completely come unglued again today.

"Loki, please reconsider," Clint said sincerely. "Our job is always going to be dangerous. Nat and I both have dossiers full of people who want us dead. It comes with the territory."

Natasha added, "We protect and help each other. That's the point of being a team."

Everyone quieted, wanting to give Loki another chance to respond. The silence dragged on for what seemed an eternity.

"Please let me in?" Cami softly begged. "I don't want to say goodbye to a door."

To everyone's surprise, there was an almost immediate click of the lock. Then the door opened about a foot.

Cami was fairly certain that Loki was on the left behind the door, so she moved to the right as she slipped through. Then she held still, letting him shut and lock the door again.

A chill touched her as he stepped closer. She reached back for him, felt his icy hand grasp hers and pulled his arm around her middle. Loki leaned into her, wrapping his other arm around and placing a frosty kiss on her ear that made her shiver.

"Stay with me," she whispered.

"I want to..." he whispered back, sounding as if there was more he was going to say, but then chose not to continue.

"Your father has promised to help us with Loki and Jahla. We'll all do this together."

His embrace tightened around her. "If only it was so easy."

"How would I be safer with you gone? You know him better than anyone."

"I know he must die, but I haven't the courage to kill him... not when I'm with you."

Cami puzzled and pondered these words as she continued to shiver. "Please don't go."

"Close your eyes," he said.

She did as he asked, feeling him move around to her front and softly press his mouth to hers. Though it was a chaste, gentle kiss, the chill of his lips still made her jump.

He hooked his hands under Cami's legs and picked her up, pulling her against his bare chest until he could sit her up on the gurney. Then he teased her throat, neck, jaw and earlobe with wandering kisses that soon became soft suckling and nibbling back and forth along the same path. He put his arms around her again, his hands meeting at the small of her back with his long fingers stretching down to clutch her buttocks.

Cami nuzzled his neck where it met his shoulder and dared to lick at his flesh just to feel the sensation it caused on her tongue. Under her shirt, her nipples were hard to the point of aching from the cold that radiated off his chest.

"Let me look," she said. "I won't be afraid."

Again his mouth moved to hers, keeping her busy for awhile with his generously seductive kisses.

Realizing this was a stalling tactic, Cami finally pulled back.

"OK. Let's try this again," she said in a playful, yet pointed tone. "I'm going to look. So, take this as your fair warning to hide, if you feel you have to."

He didn't move away, but Cami felt him tense up as she counted down in her head. Then she opened her eyes to see his deep, blood red orbs staring back at her. His skin was indeed blue and it reminded her of the color her roommate at school had chosen to paint their shared bathroom. (If she remembered correctly, her roommate had called the color mayan blue, but Loki's skin might have been a little paler than that.)

He had designs in his skin that were easier to make out on his face then on his scarred chest and arms. Cami reached up and traced the rounded design on his forehead with her index finger. Then suddenly he chose to pull back from her.

"Sorry, did I get a little too enthralled there?" Cami tried a smile to calm his tension. "Your markings are interesting."

Loki stared at her with confusion bordering on agitation.

Her enthusiasm deflated instantly. "What?" she asked.

"You are really not afraid?"

She shook her head gently, continuing to read his features and being mildly fascinated with the subtle changes a blue hue added to his expressions.

"You are an odd girl."

Cami chuckled, "I've been called worse."

"I guess I should have known after the snake," he said with a mild eye roll.

Whatever that comment meant, Cami somehow managed not to respond with something sexual, though her mind totally went there for a bit.

"You almost seem disappointed in me," she said, giving him a playful pout. "Is it more of a turn-on if I scream?"

"Not at all," he said firmly. Then he thought it over a moment longer and said, "Well, it depends on the reason for the scream, I suppose."

"You really don't want to leave," she said, pulling him close again. "We're going to have so much fun kissing and hugging and fondling and... stuff." She gifted him with a long, passionate kiss.

Loki smirked at her as they parted. "Shouldn't there be activities such as training, eating, sleeping..."

"Are you asking me to sleep with you?!" Cami interjected with feigned shock.

He chuckled at her expression, shaking his head and giving her a generous look-over. His inspection stopped on her erect nipples, poking up through the material of her bra and shirt.

Noting the location of his gaze, Cami straightened her posture, causing her shoulders to fall back and her chest to stick out more prominently.

"You do recall that I've seen most of your body," Loki said slyly.

"So? You were only wearing a towel while you performed mouth-to-mouth on my brother. Now that I think back on it, I'm a little jealous."

His smile widened, revealing that even his teeth had a tint of blue to them.

"You're not making this very easy, my dear."

"If you leave I'm going to be distraught," she told him, laying on the guilt - a tactic she rarely used on her boyfriends because she'd seen it sickeningly overused by girls. "I'll cry for days and then be terribly depressed. I might even stop eating and lose all my curves."

"Now that..." he said, taking another long look, "WOULD be a tragedy."

"Stay with me," she said again.

"I want to," he assured her. "I just..."

She touched her finger to his lips and gently shushed him; and then when he tried to continue his protest, she silenced him with a kiss that went on forever with lots of hot-on-cold tongue action that made him moan and her head want to swim.

"What were you saying?" she asked, keeping him tight against her in case she had to swoop in quickly to correct him again.

He looked utterly defeated and under her spell. With a sad smile, he said, "I'm staying."

Then, much to their chagrin, a round of applause, accompanied with cheerful whooping and hollering, erupted outside the infirmary door. From the sound of it, the Hellhounds had also joined the assemblage in the hallway.

"Oh dear," Loki said, burying his face against Cami's neck. "Will I ever live this down?"

"I don't know," Cami said with a giggle. "I think your parents are still out there too."

"Perfect. Just perfect."


	20. Chapter 20

_I was glad to hear that so many of you enjoyed the last chapter as much as I did. Fondest regards to my reviewers and followers. _

_I've posted some questions I've received and my answers at the end of the chapter._

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty:

Loki felt alone among the aimless dead. It seemed like days had passed since he'd closed his eyes in Midgard, only to open them again in the frozen wastes of Niflheim. As before, he had no body and could not move other than to look around. He also could not wake.

There was nothing but the endless white and gray of the sky, land and the dead. There was no stimulation, the cold having numbed his soul as if it were flesh. Images sparked in his mind, brief moments of memories that didn't completely solidify before they were dragged back into the mists.

_Something has to happen? _Loki thought desperately. _I cannot be trapped here._

Suddenly, Loki noticed a figure approaching, hidden beneath a heavy, oversized cloak of black and seemingly gliding on top of the shifting mists. The dead shambled out of the way, forming an open corridor for the traveler leading right to Loki.

The figure stopped ahead of him, hovering about a foot off the icy ground. Hands emerged from the long sleeves of the cloak, one with the soft, ivory skin of a maiden, the other the blanched-gray, rotted flesh of the dead. These hands pulled back the hood of the cloak, revealing a face of radiant youth and beauty on one side and the cruel decomposition of the grave on the opposite.

"Father," the dark-haired woman said, her tone flat and unemotional. She spoke only in recognition, not greeting.

Now there was no doubt in Loki's mind that this was more than a dream.

"Hel, my dear," he said politely, "it's been awhile..."

"Your words are meaningless," Hel interrupted him with the smallest hint of anger.

"I see," Loki said, looking around at the multitudes of slack faces and dull gazes cast upon them. Hel's icy demeanor should not have surprised him in the least. They weren't close and hadn't spoken in centuries. "Can you please explain to me why I am here?"

"You tried to die. I let you live, but have kept this grip on you as a surety," she responded.

Loki stared at her, feeling the onset of a mild panic stir in his nonexistent chest. Having no body in this state was terribly confusing for him.

"You saved me. Why?"

"I made a promise," she said, "that I would guard you from death. Unlike you, I uphold my side of a contract."

"You and I have no such contract. With whom have you struck this bargain?" Loki had guessed the answer already, but needed confirmation.

"He says I can call him Father, but I won't. He is part you, but not you; as you are part him, but not him." She tilted her head questioningly, studying Loki intensely.

He wasn't going to offer an explanation to her wordless interrogation.

"You promised him I would not be allowed to die in exchange for what exactly?"

"I will not tell you."

She started to turn away.

"Wait! Hel," he said desperately, "I must be allowed to awaken. I cannot stay here."

Hel gazed back over her shoulder. "Isn't this the existence that you wanted, Father? Did you not attempt to take your own life?"

Loki tried to explain. "This other me, he cannot live if I die. I was making a sacrifice to protect others from his cruelty."

"I care not," she said continuing away. Though her voice carried eerily back on the mists to whisper, "You are mine until I get what I was promised."

* * *

Loki took in a deep breath then opened his eyes to find Cami was leaning over him, her hand on his cheek and her eyes full of concern. She had been biting her lip, but stopped when relief rushed in to brighten her features.

"I was beginning to think you would never wake up," she said, offering one of her endearing smiles.

He turned his head, rolling the side of his face into her palm that felt so warm against his skin. Loki took her hand and raised it to his mouth for a soft kiss. It was then that he noticed his flesh was no longer blue.

"Your father cast a new spell before he and the queen returned to Asgard. He said he altered it so you could switch between being human and Jotun at will," Cami told him. "You'll heal faster as a Jotun, but Director Fury wants us all back at the helicarrier and we assumed you wouldn't travel with the team if you weren't in this form."

"Accurate assumption," he uttered, thinking he had no plans to return to his Jotun form, for healing or otherwise.

He looked over at the clock above the infirmary cabinets to find it was almost eight. "What time do we depart?"

"Nine. Shall I get you some breakfast?"

Loki shook his head. He carefully shifted onto his side, scooting back to make room and pulled back the blankets.

"Oh," Cami said, climbing onto the gurney and cuddling up with him. "Is this what you need - a little body heat?"

_It certainly won't hurt, _ Loki thought, his mind mulling over Hel and what she had told him. Her words alone left him feeling chilled.

After a long silence, Cami began to whisper against his bandaged chest. "Sif is coming with us. I asked your father and Nick to let me continue to train with her. They agreed. So, she's going to be staying with us in the suite."

"She knows, doesn't she? She knows what I am," he said with sad irritation.

Though she looked apprehensive to tell him, Cami confessed, "Your curse and Jotun parentage all came out while I was in Asgard. Sif and the Warriors Three have been very understanding and supportive."

Loki growled, staring at the ceiling. "Does every aspect of my life have to be on display, passed around as gossip or noted in some public record?"

"It was my fault. I'm sorry," Cami said, pulling away from him.

He grabbed for her, getting a good grip before she could manage to escape the gurney. He shifted, resting his chest on hers.

"Don't run away," he said with care, noting the distress in her eyes. "I had a bad night. That's all."

"You are allowed to be mad at me," Cami insisted.

He guessed that she'd been feeling guilty about this for days.

"I'm allowed to forgive you too."

She didn't quite frown, but it certainly wasn't a smile.

"Can I assume you had a bad night as well?" he asked.

"Actually, most of yesterday sucked," she said. "Last night just gave me time to think everything over."

A kiss seemed an appropriate display of his sympathy and affection, so he delivered one gently to the tip of her nose. Then he asked, "How can I help?"

"Fury suggested that I could test out of some classes to free up time. Well, Clint jumped all over that idea. He's already arranged two tests for me tomorrow morning. I could really use some help studying, if you think you'd be any good at tutoring."

"I always assumed I would teach you a few things," he said with implied meaning that was not lost on her.

She said, "I've had other boyfriends before."

"Is that the term - boy friend? It sounds so juvenile."

Now she was frowning. "Are you making a point of how young I am?"

He said, realizing that her mood was incredibly delicate this morning, "Cami, your youth is a virtue."

She wasn't accepting this as a compliment, it seemed.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"I'm tired," she groaned. "I want to go home."

He asked with honest curiosity, "Where do you consider home?"

Her hesitation was drawn out and her tone unconvincing as she said, "The helicarrier, I suppose."

Loki stored this very telling moment away in his mind until later.

He climbed down from the gurney, dumping his blankets on the floor in the process. "Have you eaten?"

"Not that much," she admitted.

Since she was already in her uniform, Loki told her to go on to the cafeteria. "I'll get dressed and meet you there," he promised. "Perhaps we'll get some studying in on the flight back."

"OK," she said with a sigh of resignation. She jumped down, looking weary. "Sorry to be a drag today. I'm probably PMSing."

Loki had never heard of PMSing, but he had a short list of guesses based on past relationships. If anything, he figured he'd better pay very close attention to her body signals over the next few days and endeavor to be especially thoughtful.

He pulled Cami close, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling her sweet scent. "Your presence always lifts my spirits. It will be wonderful to return to the suite and finally have you there with me."

Her instant smile showed that she appreciated him saying this and she rewarded him with a deep kiss before running off.

Loki and Cami did review and discuss material from her classes during the long flight across country to rendezvous with the helicarrier. The rest of the group even threw in some helpful tips and information between their own conversations.

Since Fury was riding up front with Clint, Hopper was back with the main group. Loki noticed that he and Sif were talking comfortably for hours.

"Loki, I had no idea you were such a scholar," Sif commented after Hopper told her that Loki had tested out of the field curriculum.

Stott added, "You'll have a guaranteed spot as an instructor if you ever tire of field work."

"We'll see, Gary," Loki said, making a point to use Agent Stott's first name. "I've heard there might be other offers on the table eventually."

"I don't doubt it," Natasha said, glimpsing up from her own reading to smile at him.

Once they landed, Natasha took Sif directly to the security office then on to supply to get her some clothes and toiletries. Fury hurried off to a meeting with Agent Hill. The Hellhounds, including Clint, went to discuss some pressing, classified issues.

Loki and Cami walked to the suite, unpacked their things and curled up on her new bed for more studying. They occasionally succumbed to short sessions of kissing and caressing before one of them would come to their senses and get them back on track again.

Cami gave up on studying around eleven o'clock. "My brain is mush," she told Loki. "I'm going to bed now."

He went to his own room to work on his computer. He knew Fury was going to demand a full disclosure on the Jahla and other Loki situation. It seemed like a good idea to write up his own report that could be submitted for reference before they officially questioned him.

Plus, it would give him a good excuse to stay awake for a while. Sadly, he suspected Niflheim awaited him once he slept.

* * *

Clint was really glad to be back on the helicarrier. Arizona had been an adventure, but his attention had now shifted to Cami's impending graduation date, which was actually going to be Loki's graduation too at the rate he was assimilating their database.

Clint left the infirmary, happy to have been cleared for light duty by Dr. Lloyd, and met up with Natasha who was coming out of the testing center.

"How did she do?" Clint asked anxiously. "She didn't have much time to study."

"She passed both," Natasha said, indicating the file in her hand.

"Oh, thank God," Clint sighed. "Other than her gymnastics class and range, her mornings are now clear."

They started down the corridor at a casual pace.

"Do we have to insist that she test out of programming too? She really likes that class."

"Yeah, well... I'll need every spare hour I can get with her," Clint said.

"You've got to leave some time for Sif too," Natasha reminded him. "You promised."

"I know. I know."

It had been Cami's idea to ask Sif to come visit the helicarrier and act as an additional combat trainer for her. Fury and Odin had agreed, which pretty much left Clint no choice but to agree too.

"Pace yourself, Clint. It's only eleven in the morning and you're already stressed out," Nat said, reaching over to rub casually at his forehead, which was always one of his bad spots for tension.

"I'll relax in seven weeks when Cami's graduated," he said with determination, causing an instant frown to appear on her features.

Natasha stopped. She grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop too. "Hey, you made a promise to me, Nick and Frigga that you wouldn't overdo it," she said sternly. "This isn't a one-man show."

Clint tried to reassure her. "I'm not overdoing it. I feel pretty good," he said. "The doctor cleared me."

"For light duty only."

"Which is fine for training purposes."

Natasha nodded and released his arm. She started walking, so Clint continued on too, sneaking glances in her direction as they headed down to the suite. Something was going on with her. He could feel it and realized he needed to find out what it was sooner rather than later.

"Did you put in for birthday leave?" Clint suddenly asked.

"I did, but... now really isn't a good time."

"It's never a good time, Nat. The world will always need saving."

She met his gaze for only a moment, saying nothing.

"Where did you choose to go? Moscow?"

"No, I booked a villa on the beach in Santorini for a few days."

"Nice. Greece is beautiful."

"Yeah, I figured I should try to relax a little, read a book, swim."

"Well, good. You deserve it."

She smiled softly, but there was still worry in her eyes.

When they walked into the suite, they were met with a chorus of laughter coming from the living room.

"Cami, you're cheating," Sif was saying through her own chuckles.

"Only a little."

Clint and Natasha came around the corner to find the furniture had been pushed back to make room for a Twister® board. Loki was seated on the nearest couch with the spinner, calling out the moves while Cami and Sif were stretched across the board, trying not to lose their balance and giggling madly.

"Wow," Clint said, biting back a grin. "They still make this game?"

"They have lots of games for check out from supply," Cami told him. "Didn't you know?"

"I guess not."

Loki said, "By-all-means, join them. It's been entertaining to watch."

Clint's response was immediate. "Uh, no."

"Oh, come on," Nat said with a grin. "Relive some of your youth."

"You play. You are way more flexible than me," Clint said honestly. "This wouldn't be smart in my current condition."

Right at that moment, Cami's foot slipped and she collapsed.

"Sif wins. Let's play again," Cami called out, climbing to her feet and offering Sif a hand up. Both women were laughing.

"Join us," Sif said to Natasha. "Please?"

"Sure, if the guys are going to be such killjoys. You'd think they'd like this sort of game if girls were playing."

Clint accepted Cami's test results from Natasha as she kicked off her shoes and stepped up to the edge of the board with Cami and Sif. Clint dropped onto the couch near Loki and looked over the specifics of the test scores as Loki called out the first direction, which was right hand on blue.

He tried to focus his attention on the file and how long he and Cami had until their private session in the gymnasium, but it was difficult not to notice Natasha's firm, rounded ass sticking up in the air in front of him.

Since her attention was completely on the game, Clint let himself admire. He'd never grow tired of looking at Natasha's lean, powerful body and admittedly, he'd been letting himself take more notice lately.

Of course, Loki was probably thinking similar thoughts about Cami. Clint turned to look at the God of Mischief, who returned the gaze with a wide smile and conspiring eyes.

_Yep, he's enjoying this a lot, _Clint thought. He wasn't annoyed though. How could he be when he got to sit here innocently and get an eyeful of Natasha at the same time?

Loki called out, "Left hand on green."

"I think Sif has the advantage," Cami was complaining. "Her arms and legs are so long, she can make the difficult reaches."

"I'm heavier than you," Sif replied. "It takes more effort to keep from falling."

"But you're stronger than me too," Cami countered.

Within a few minutes, the girls were in a real tangle and Clint couldn't take his eyes off Natasha. Her lithe, strong limbs held her up with little visible discomfort or strain that he could see. As always, her conditioning impressed the hell out of him.

Loki called the next move, left foot on red, and again Cami was the first one to fall, nearly taking all three of them to the floor, but Nat and Sif managed to hang on while she moved out to cuddle up on Loki's other side.

About four moves later both women strained to make the next combination and ended up in a heap on the floor.

"I didn't see who fell first," Cami said.

"Me," Natasha and Sif said in unison then exchanged surprised smiles as they got up.

Clint tore his gaze away to study the file again. "We should be leaving for the gym soon," he reminded Cami.

"Are those my test results?" Cami asked, leaning across Loki's lap to look more closely at the file Clint was holding. "Did I pass?"

Clint smiled. "Sure did." He gave her the file.

Cami sat back and held the paperwork so Loki could look too. "Some of these individual areas are kinda low, though," she said.

"You can study up later," Clint said. "Agents are always learning something new."

It was a surprise that Clint managed to pull Cami away from the suite without her complaining or delaying their departure with endless kisses for Loki. In fact, she beat him to the door after a single farewell smooch.

"So, what possessed you to check out that game?" he asked. Clint kind of hoped Twister® might hang around for a couple of days if Nat was willing to play again.

"I don't think you really want to know," Cami said, alluding to something sexual with only a quick glimpse in his direction.

"Loki wasn't even playing."

"Maybe he likes to watch," Cami teased.

"I didn't need to know that."

Cami laughed like she'd totally baited him into embarrassing himself.

"Whatever. You're a guy. Don't act like you never look at girls."

To be safe, Clint chose not to respond.

Finally they arrived at the gym and their discussion turned to the business at hand.

"Do you like your combat courses?" Clint asked Cami bluntly.

"Well, um, not really," she admitted, shifting her gaze from his as if she expected this confession to anger him.

"Why? What don't you like?"

"People stand around watching and judging every move you make. The instructors act like drill sergeants, yelling and stuff."

He stepped over and picked up a pair of boxing gloves, which he tossed to her. Then he went to the punching bag to wait while she pulled on the gloves and joined him.

"Give it some hits," he said. Then he picked up where he left off with his questions. "What about the actual fighting? What goes through your mind when you're hitting something."

Cami gave the bag a few weak hits at first, trying to focus on her answers more than the actual punching. "I don't know. I guess I used to think it wouldn't matter if I got a hit on someone or not. I didn't feel that strong."

"Then you started working with Sif in Asgard."

"Yeah." Cami paused to focus on the bag, remembering what Sif had told her about harnessing the strength in her torso and hips. Then she let loose with a quick, concise punch that jolted the bag harder than she'd managed before.

"That was a good one," Clint said. "Nice roll of your hips there."

Cami struck the bag a few more times.

Clint asked, "What makes the difference?"

"It's just the two of us most of the time for one thing. Also, she encourages me to think of the moves as part of a dance. Then it makes more sense to me."

Clint was impressed. The Asgardian had excelled with Cami where at least a half dozen S.H.I.E.L.D. trainers had fallen short.

"Sif wants dancing lessons."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I guess Mike mentioned that he knows some of the ballroom dances."

"Are you going to teach her?"

"I thought I'd show her a little bit of this and that. Just a thanks for helping with my confidence."

Clint thought more about the correlation between a fight and a dance. He said, "An actual fight isn't going to be choreographed per se. You can anticipate an opponent's moves if you can read them effectively though. If anything, we just need to train your brain to read and react instantly to an attack."

Cami frowned a bit. "You've been watching footage from my class, haven't you?" she asked as if it was an accusation.

"Yeah. I had to get a feel for what was going on. I noticed that you hesitate a lot. You're a little too afraid of your opponents."

"I can't help if I'm afraid of them," Cami said, looking hurt. "I'm small and I don't like getting hit."

"Nobody does," Clint assured her, "but you don't have to be afraid. It's only pain that will ease with time."

"The instructors constantly put me up against the taller trainees," she complained.

"That's because size doesn't usually matter. For instance, Natasha is your height when she's not wearing heels. She takes out big, strong guys all the time."

"Yeah, I guess."

"OK. Time to focus," Clint said. "We've got to get this hot wired into your brain."

* * *

For Cami the rest of the week was full with a lot of the same thing. She spent several minutes each morning coaxing Loki to consciousness only to have him blatantly avoid her questions about it. Combat training took up most of her days, while early evenings were spent with Sif for dancing lessons. Nights were occupied with studies and some team bonding activities (i.e. games, movies, etcetera.) The fact that she was on her period and miserable with cramps only added to the hectic, stressful nature of her days.

Aware of her discomfort and anxiety levels, Loki had a knack for appearing at just the right moment, whether it was to deliver a heating pad, painkillers, back rubs, kisses or a bowl of her favorite cookie dough ice cream. He was just as proficient at disappearing, usually in the process of removing some obstacle or vexation from her presence. He'd waylaid at least a dozen people on her behalf just so she could focus and deal with her own issues.

The Natasha birthday countdown had her especially anxious. So, Loki enlisted members of the Hellhounds, Sif and a few others to assist with the efforts, running diversions and manipulating situations to force Clint and Natasha to spend more time together. Since there was a general consensus around the helicarrier that Hawkeye and Black Widow should be together, it wasn't difficult for Hopper and his guys to get even more crew members to help with these covert operations.

"We've pushed them together all week long," Hopper said two days before Nat's birthday when he came down to the suite to assist with Sif's dancing lesson. "I think we should keep them apart tomorrow."

"Do you think they suspect?" Cami asked, guessing that might be the reason for his suggestion.

"I don't know about that, but I believe a little forced separation will make a significant impact because they are getting awfully used to being together now. Clint's been watching her - even getting a little distracted. I think Loki's senses idea has really worked."

Sif was standing at the center of the area cleared for dancing. When Hopper looked back her way, she waved him over, eager to begin.

Cami put the music on and let Hopper lead Sif through a waltz while she sat back and smiled proudly.

Once she'd allowed herself to relax, Sif had proved to be a natural dancer. Loki had thought so too.

The group didn't hear the suite door open with the music playing. So, they were caught a little off guard when Agent Hill walked in with Clint and Natasha. Cami muted the music with the remote. Hopper and Sif separated, turning to give the new arrivals their attention.

"Where's Loki?" Hill asked immediately. Her look was focused and serious.

Loki stepped out of his room, but lingered in the doorway. Cami doubted Loki had purposely laid eyes on Maria Hill since he'd first arrived on the helicarrier. She'd been pretty verbal about not wanting him to join the organization.

"There is a party tomorrow night at the U.S. Consulate in Naples as part of the Health Education Summit," Hill told the group. "A number of celebrities, members of the medical community and important officials are going to be present - including a member of our Council. In light of the recent act of violence outside the embassy in Milan, a S.H.I.E.L.D. presence has been requested. However, we don't want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves."

"Who is in play for this one?" Hopper asked.

"Clint and Natasha," Hill said, nodding in their direction. "Loki is with me. You two make a stunning couple on the dance floor. I'll take you both... if Sif is willing to follow my orders."

Hopper grinned. "I'm in."

Sif straightened, thought a moment and then nodded. "I would be honored."

"Best dress for everyone. Get what you need from supply. Bag your outfits and wear uniforms for the trip over. I need everyone on the flight deck in two hours. Pack for an overnighter."

Cami's gaze had slipped to her lap. She was trying to be motionless and silent, hoping no one would notice her sitting there secretly wishing she was invisible.

Loki's voice was cold as he asked Hill, "Why isn't Cami going?"

Maria noted and matched his tone. "Trainee Barton is not a member of the Mischief Makers any longer. She has been officially removed pending graduation and possible reassignment."

Cami peeked in Loki's direction, watching as he left the doorway and slowly approached Hill. There was a mixture of emotions mingling on his features that made it difficult to guess what he was going to do or say.

"Loki!" Clint said sternly. "Agent Hill is your superior. You will mind your manners."

It took visible effort for Loki to choose his words. He was seething. "I'm going to speak to Director Fury."

"This is my operation," Maria said, attempting to stare him down. "I decide who goes and who doesn't."

"Then I suggest you take Agent Stott in my place," Loki said. "He speaks Italian, is very personable and..."

"You don't get this, do you?" Maria interrupted, losing her cool. "This is not a negotiation. You are going and she is staying."

The tension was making Cami feel worse. She wanted to run for her room, but figured that would only demonstrate the sort of behavior that prompted her superiors to kick her from the team in the first place.

"They have her best interests at heart," Natasha said to Loki. "She is not field combat ready. You know that."

Loki did not look willing or capable of backing down. Even from a distance, Cami could see his nostrils flaring and the anger in his piercing eyes.

"You will follow orders, or you will finish your stay on Midgard in a jail cell," Maria threatened.

"He's going," Clint said instantly.

Loki's glare shifted from Maria to Clint.

"You're going," Natasha said to Loki just as firmly as Clint had.

Cami slipped off the couch and crossed to the defiant Loki. She took his hand. "Let's go find you a tuxedo," she said softly.

He let her pull him out of the suite; though he didn't relax or speak until they were most of the way to the supply room and he found a quiet corner to pull her into.

"Are you alright?" he asked, gently lifting her chin so she would meet his eyes.

Cami said, "Nick informed me in Arizona that the Council wasn't pleased with me being on the team. I should have told you then so it wouldn't have been such a shock."

"Hmm, perhaps," he said, "but you didn't answer my question."

"Maybe we can talk about it when you get back," Cami said. She realized that thinking about her feelings just made the pain worse.

Their delay put the rest of the team arriving at the supply room about the same time. Cami chose to stay with Loki and the other guys, helping the attendants with the fittings and giving advice on how the men looked.

Afterwards, her suitemates dragged her off to the cafeteria to grab some quick dinner then back to the suite so they could pack.

"Come see us off," Natasha said as they gathered in the long hallway from the living room to the door. She was setting a communicator for Sif and showing her how to place it.

Cami really didn't want to, but didn't put up much of a fight as they pulled her along.

"Don't worry," Clint tried to console her as they headed up top. "You'll be running missions right after graduation."

Cami stepped off the lift, but held back as they headed for the jet. Loki looked back with concern, but she waved him on, afraid that if he came back, she'd say something to start herself crying or set him off again.

As Cami turned to go below, Hill exited the lift with her own bag.

"Ma'am," Cami said politely with an acknowledging nod of her head. She moved to go around Hill only to have her sidestep into her path, which caused an immediate spark of annoyance in Cami's chest.

"The sweet and innocent orphan routine gets old really fast," Maria said with a biting tone. "You might have Fury, Clint and now Loki eating out of your hand, but none of your shit is going to fly with me."

"I'm not sure what I've done," Cami said, watching the lift doors close.

"A few weeks ago you were stowing away on jets, skipping classes, stealing tools and components from the tech workshop and being Little-Miss-Attitude. Then Loki shows up and suddenly you're a perfect angel. Whatever your scheme is, Miss Barton, it isn't going to work. You'll get no more free rides. Get it right or go back to Iowa."

She was too stunned and hurt to respond. Obviously there was a time in the not-too-distant past that she would have expected to be lectured like this, but not now.

The lift returned, this time delivering Mike Hopper.

"Everything OK?" he asked, stepping up to them.

"Fine," Cami said automatically. Her gaze was locked with Hill's and she didn't dare break it first.

"Let's go," Hill said to Hopper. "They are waiting for us." Then she marched toward the jet, leaving Mike only a moment to give Cami a comforting touch on the shoulder before he had to hurry off too.

* * *

_Questions I've received from readers:_

**_Q: Are you like a psychology expert?_**

_A: I have studied psychology as part of my degree, but not extensively_.

**_Q: Are your background characters based on real people?_**

_A: Some. I have borrowed names and some personality quirks from friends for characters in this story._

**_Q: Did you get the idea for the 'Other Loki' from the meaning of Thomas?_**

_A: Actually, no. I had the idea and the name just fit. I was ecstatic when I realized how perfectly the name would work for what I wanted. It's such an awesome name, of course._


	21. Chapter 21

I can't express my appreciation enough for everyone who reads my work. I know there are other options out there to satisfy your Loki and Avenger cravings. So, it means a lot to have so many of you coming back for each installment. I know some of you have recommended this story to your friends too. I love you all.

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty-One:

Cami was emotional and honestly confused about her run-in with Agent Hill. If Hill still thought the worst of her, there were likely others in S.H.I.E.L.D. that did too, probably even the Council.

The last thing Cami wanted was to return to an empty suite when she was feeling so down. Taking refuge on her perch at the stern of the ship was out of the question because the deck crew was preparing for the helicarrier to go airborne. She chose to wander the ship, which probably wasn't the best idea either. Enough people caught a glimpse of Cami looking distraught that it didn't take too long for concerned individuals to find out and track her down. In fact, she was lingering in the doorway of the range when Stott, Kotter and Rodriguez found her.

"What?" Cami asked when they suddenly had her surrounded.

"We heard," Stott said sympathetically, having to speak loudly over the gunfire from the range.

"It's not a big deal unless I let it be," Cami told them, though she kind of wondered if Gary was talking about her being kicked from the team or left off the mission.

"Hey, we just thought you might want to hang out," Kotter said.

Rodriguez added, "There's no need for you to be alone."

Cami was touched and even considered the offer for a moment before she answered. "You guys don't have to babysit me."

"We're already at the range," Kotter said. "We might as well get some practice in for your firearms final. We've collectively been firing guns for a long time and we each have a slightly different take on them. Wouldn't it be nice to get some fresh perspectives?"

Cami looked into the room again. She'd been contemplating taking some practice shots before they arrived.

"You guys know I suck at shooting, right?"

Stott said, "Maybe you just haven't found the right gun for you."

This comment made her smile and she relented, spending the next couple of hours with three of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best soldiers, shooting an arsenal of different guns and collecting tips. Overall, it was kind of fun for her to be at the range with friends instead of just instructors for once and it showed in her results. Clint would have actually been proud of her improvement.

Cami returned to the suite about ten o'clock. She got ready for bed, but found her mind was too active to allow any real rest to happen. So, she walked through the bathroom to Loki's room and climbed into his bed beside the mountain of books that continuously collected there since he never appeared to put any of them away.

His grimoire and computer were together near the top of the pile and Cami had to smile at the contradiction.

Sitting up against the pillows, she pulled the spellbook into her lap and flipped through the pages. There was a particular illusion she was looking for, so she wasn't spending much time looking at or reading the pages until she found it - the self-duplication spell. Since they were dealing with a Loki double, Cami guessed that this was the spell Loki had wanted them to know about. So, she started at the beginning of the page and focused on the difficult script with the goal to actually read the entire entry.

"That book isn't for children," a cold, yet familiar voice warned softly from the shadowed doorway of the bathroom.

Cami startled and slammed the book shut as a tall, lean figure stepped forward into the light given off by the bedside lamp. To her dread, the intruder looked exactly like Loki. He was dressed in black leather with gold adornments.

_Shit!_

"I assume I don't require an introduction," he said, continuing his slow walk toward her as he took in the room with a bored expression.

_I'm alone with the Bad Loki! _Cami realized, and she'd be dumb to assume that he'd simply leave when he realized her Loki wasn't there.

Cami slipped out from under the covers and carefully climbed over the book pile to get down on the other side of the bed, inching toward the main door while his attention was averted.

Then instantly he was gone. She spun around to find him standing between her and her intended destination.

"Apparently you are grossly ignorant about me and my abilities," he said, looking offended.

Cami ran the other direction, just to have him appear in the doorway of the bathroom so suddenly that she nearly collided with him.

He grabbed her by the arms before she could backpedal and pulled her tightly to his frame. The height difference hadn't bothered her much before, but this Loki was intimidating as hell as he leered down at her.

She yelped, pushing against his chest and leaning back, trying to break his strong hold on her. Then she began to scream, even though she doubted anyone would hear her down on the third level amongst the storage rooms and old laboratories.

He rearranged his grip to pick her up, then delivered her swiftly to the bed and dropped her. She tried to roll away, inadvertently knocking some books, the computer and the grimoire to the floor.

"Enough," he said harshly as dark, shadowy tendrils snaked out of his sides to wrap around Cami's limbs, pinching and bruising her flesh as they pulled her back and held her down.

Cami continued to scream and struggle.

"Oh, shut up," Loki said with exasperation. He pulled a vicious-looking knife out of thin air and leaned over her. "At least wait until the real pain begins."

Somehow the appearance of the weapon did instantly silence her. Cami shuddered, feeling the fear squeeze painfully at her heart and lungs and churn her stomach.

Loki reached out with the knife and skimmed the line of her cheek, but didn't let the tip of the blade actually touch her.

"Cami is your name, isn't it?" he asked. His gaze fell on her and stayed, awaiting the answer. His eyes were cold and intense, yet so much like her Loki's eyes.

She didn't know if speaking to this Loki was a good idea at all. It might give him ideas about other things to try questioning her about. Of course, not answering him could escalate his agenda much quicker than she could figure out escape options.

"Yes," she said, trying not to sound as weak as she felt.

He shifted his attention to the scattered books, reading the covers and spines of some with a deepening frown.

"Does he think he will defeat me with this rubbish?" he asked.

She hesitated, unsure what to say. "This stuff is part of his job now," she told him.

"He's a slave to the humans. How pathetic. Father is so predictable with his punishments."

Cami decided the comment didn't warrant a response from her, though she did get an idea. Taking in a deep breath, she screamed as loud as she could muster for Heimdall.

Loki chuckled at her. "Nice try," he said, "but I'm not stupid. My magic masks us from Heimdall's particular talents."

Cami cried with frustration and fear, "Why do you want to hurt me?"

He considered her for a moment. His look was casual as he answered. "I've made promises. I might even keep them."

This answer didn't give Cami any information that she could use to her advantage.

"Please, I haven't done anything to you."

"Oh little one, I won't kill you," he assured her. "Not yet anyway. I have need of you."

"I won't help you hurt people," she whispered, not daring to make such a bold statement any louder than that.

He smirked. "I expect resistance. So, I'm not going to bother asking."

He moved the knife along her left shoulder then down the edge of her breast while amusement and anticipation danced in his green eyes. His left hand touched her stomach, making her jump. Then he gripped her t-shirt and pulled it up just a little to reveal the smooth skin underneath. "Hmm, very nice," he said, caressing her flesh then reaching for the waistband of her pajama pants next.

Cami tried to move away, but the tendrils countered her every attempt to get leverage, even tangling in her hair and gripping her securely around the throat.

As his fingertips curled around the waistband, his eager eyes shifted up to meet hers. "Now you can scream," he said, yanking down the material and thrusting the knife into her lower abdomen.

* * *

It was a loud banging that woke Cami. She looked around, slowly realizing that she was in Loki's room on his bed. According to the clock, it was just after one in the morning.

"Cami!" a voice yelled, accompanied with more banging. All the noise was coming from the suite door.

She climbed off the bed, feeling achy and weak. Her head spun as soon as she was on her feet and she was forced to sit back on the bed.

"Tony, something must be wrong. Get it open now!"

Cami recognized the voice as Steve Rogers, but she didn't feel awake enough to make it all the way to the door. Instead, she laid back down and waited for Tony to bypass their security measures. Soon afterward, the door opened and she could hear them moving around inside the suite.

"She's in here," Steve said from the bedroom doorway. He sounded relieved.

"You must sleep like the dead," Tony said as he stepped into the room. "We were knocking forever."

"Guys," Cami whined, "it's too late for a social call." With some effort, she sat back up to look at them as they crossed to the bed.

Tony pushed her hair out of her eyes and examined her features in the lamplight. "You look terrible. Have you been drinking?"

"No," she said, but actually couldn't remember what she'd been doing earlier in the evening.

Steve frowned deeply at her and the books scattered on the floor around the bed.

Cami growled and pointed at the clock. "Why are you here at this hour? Your friends are in Italy; didn't you get the memo?"

"Not all of them," Tony said, smoothing her hair. "You're our friend too, Frizzy. Operation 'Salvage Natasha's Party' is underway, and we're here to pick you up."

She stared at Tony stupidly for a bit. Then she looked at Steve. "Translate, please?"

Steve looked a little amused by her lack of understanding. "Tony has been planning a big surprise birthday party for Natasha before she headed off to Greece. Well, now that she's in Italy, it's doubtful she'll fly all the way back here just for a single day."

"Yeah, makes sense."

"So..." Tony jumped in, "we're taking the party to her and crashing Hill's mission in the process."

Cami forced herself to perk up a little. "What? We're going to the health summit party?"

"Oh yeah. They invited me months ago," Tony said. "It's recognition for charitable donations for new research studies. So, I called the committee up, told them I would be in the area after all and asked for permission to have some guests come with me for the event."

"How did you get this past Director Fury?" Cami was still having trouble keeping up.

"We can explain on the plane," Steve said. "Put some extra clothes together for you and Sif, OK? I'll grab some for Loki."

"I'll find clothes for Clint," Tony said, moving for the door. "Is Natasha packed for Greece already?"

"Um, I think so." Cami pushed to her feet again, calling after him, "Hill's gonna hate us, you know."

"Don't care!" Tony yelled back, sounding almost too happy.

"You are really unsteady on your feet," Steve said, taking her gently by the shoulders. "What happened to you?"

Cami looked up at him, feeling a flutter of an emotion that could have been fear, she wasn't sure though. She read the candid concern in his eyes. "Honestly, Steve, I don't know."

* * *

The time difference was a killer. Agent Hill's team arrived in Naples around five o'clock AM local time, which was six hours ahead of the helicarrier. The team was picked up from the air strip by private vans and driven to the hotel where they checked in and promptly fell into their beds, the guys sharing one room and the girls another.

Clint's alarm clock went off at eleven and it took every ounce of his will to get out of the bed. Mike lounged in his own bed, stretching and rubbing his face while Clint grabbed some clothes and dragged himself off to the shower.

"Time to get up," Clint said to Loki as he passed the couch where he'd chosen to sleep rather than share a bed. Clint didn't get a response, but he didn't wait around for one either.

Clint managed to keep his shower short, so there would be hot water left for someone else. He dried off, pulled on his boxers and uniform pants and vacated the bathroom.

Mike was sitting at the end of his bed, staring at the sleeping Loki as Clint emerged.

"Uh, Clint... he's not waking up," Mike said.

Clint stepped over to Loki and nudged his shoulder. "Hey, Loki, it is time to get up already."

"I tried that... and shaking him," Mike said with an edge to his voice. "He did this in Arizona too, remember?"

"Yeah, I remember." Clint frowned. "Are they up next door?"

"Yeah, someone is. I heard their shower."

Clint stepped into the hallway and rapped on the girls' door. Maria answered in a field agent uniform, but with no makeup. Her dark hair was down around her shoulders and still damp.

"I need to talk to Nat," Clint said.

"Tasha," Maria called over her shoulder, "it's Clint."

Nat padded up to the door still in her pajamas. "Is something wrong?" she asked as soon as she saw Clint's expression and lack of a shirt.

"Come here a sec," he said and led her into the other room.

Only after he'd shut the door behind them did he gesture to Loki and explain. "We can't wake him up. Did Cami tell you there was anything wrong with him sleeping or waking up lately?"

"No. She hasn't said a word."

Nat knelt down beside the couch so she could examine him a little more closely.

Clint collected his com device from the side table, slipping it into his ear and activating it. "This is Agent Barton, I need a line to Trainee Barton."

"It's only five o'clock there," Natasha pointed out. "I doubt she's up."

"Uh, sir," the operator said, "Trainee Barton isn't on board."

This news surprised him. "Then where is she?" he asked.

Director Fury's voice broke into the line, "Clint, she's on a classified mission with Stark and Captain Rogers."

"You're kidding right?" Clint asked, trying for a tone of levity, despite his frustration. "I'm a top level agent," he reminded Fury. Very little was above his security clearance any more.

Nick didn't explain further. "Hang on the line. I'll see if we can patch you through to her."

While he waited, Clint informed Nat and Mike about the unexpected turn of events.

"Seriously?" Natasha asked, looking equally annoyed.

Finally a new voice came on the line, but it wasn't Cami. It was Tony. "Hey Clint. Your sister is asleep right now. Is this urgent?"

"Yes, it is," Clint said pointedly. "Who the hell gave you permission to drag Cami off on some mission without checking in with me? She's in training; that is why she isn't here with us right now."

"Whoa, try taking it down a notch. Steve and I thought she could use some distraction since you guys took off and left her alone with Evil Loki on the loose. At least she's under our protection right now and getting some girl bonding time with Pepper."

_Oh God,_ Clint thought. _We did leave her alone. What the hell was I thinking?_

Surely Fury would have said if something had happened.

Clint asked, "You took your girlfriend? What sort of mission is this?"

"I'd like to tell you, but it's classified," Tony quickly responded.

"Bullshit, Stark. Stop wasting my time and put Cami on."

It still seemed to take forever for Cami to come on the line. She sounded groggy. "Hello?"

Clint decided he'd better calm his tone. "Hey. We have a problem with Loki."

Cami's response was quick and animated. "Oh no! He's asleep, right? I totally didn't think about this when you guys left. I should have told you."

"God, Cami, how often has this been happening?"

"Every morning since the snake incident," she admitted guiltily. "Loki never wants to talk about it. He's annoyed that everyone knows his business all the time."

"OK. Tell me what to do?"

"I don't know. I just touch his face and talk to him. Sometimes I cuddle up and give him some kisses. It always takes a while though."

Clint frowned at Natasha. "I'm definitely not doing that," he told Cami.

"I don't know if he'll wake up on his own," Cami insisted. "'Someone has to try. Ask Nat or Sif."

Clint pulled the communicator out of his ear and passed it to Natasha. He said with agitation, "Here, you talk to her."

Natasha took the com, placing it in her ear. Then she told Cami to fill her in.

"Go ahead and get your shower, Mike," Clint said. "Cami says this could take a while."

Mike grabbed his stuff and went into the bathroom.

Natasha found Loki's communicator from his bag, set it and carefully placed it in his ear before climbing on the couch and stretching out on top of him and his blanket. "Alright," Nat said, sounding skeptical. "He's got his com. Let's give this a try."

Clint sat on the edge of the bed, watching as Natasha gently caressed Loki's face and intermittently ran her fingers through his hair. Clint knew she had done far more with complete strangers on some of her missions, but this felt completely different to him. Right then, all he could think about was how badly he wanted it to be him underneath her powerful body, her soft touches on his flesh and her breathing against his cheek. He wanted it very badly, more than anything else he had wanted in years.

There was a knock at the door. Clint took a moment to collect himself then opened it just enough to see it was Maria. "Um, we're kind of having a team thing," Clint said in response to her questioning look. He did not want to have to tell Maria that Loki was pulling a Sleeping Beauty during her mission.

"Why? What's going on?"

"It's OK. Nat and I will handle it. We're his immediate supervisors," Clint said, hoping she'd think Loki was just throwing a tantrum or something similar. He certainly did not want her to see what Nat was currently doing.

"We have work to do," Maria reminded him sternly.

"We know," Clint said, nodding in agreement. "Just give us some time here, OK?"

Maria was none too pleased. "Sif is done in the shower. Let Natasha know she can have it when she's ready."

"Thanks. I'll let her know."

Clint promptly shut the door again. As he turned, the envious thoughts came rushing back again at the sight of Natasha with Loki. He could only imagine how angry he'd be feeling right now if Loki was awake and reciprocating those touches. At least she wasn't kissing him as Cami had suggested.

Trying to distract himself from the scene, Clint continued getting dressed, but it was hard not to look.

After awhile, the water turned off in their shower and Clint was dreading what Mike would think or say about this situation when he came out.

"Cami," Natasha said suddenly into the com, "I don't think this is working." She listened then slowly climbed off Loki, pulling the communicators from both his and her ears. She dropped Loki's com device with his stuff and held out the other to Clint.

"Hill says you can have the shower now," he told Natasha, taking the com from her.

She nodded. "I'm gonna go then. Let me know if we're saying anything to Maria or Sif."

Nat let herself out.

Clint jumped back on the line with Cami. "Sorry sis. I don't know what else to do unless I try slapping him around a little bit."

_Right now, I bet I could manage it with minimal guilt,_ he thought.

"OK. Is Nat still on the line?"

"No, she had to get ready."

"What room are you in?"

"Why?"

"JARVIS got the hotel address from S.H.I.E.L.D. Tony says he can fly me there in about thirty minutes, but you can't let anyone else know we're coming."

"Do I want to know where you guys are and what you're up to?"

"It's a surprise. Please don't blow this for Tony. He's putting a lot of effort..."

"OK. OK. Whatever. We're in room 156. Just get here."

When the girls were ready to head over to the restaurant, Clint sent Mike with them, promising to drag Loki along once he was ready. Luckily, he avoided letting Hill see into the room and his co-conspirators were great at distracting her.

Cami arrived at his door within minutes of their departure. Clint noted that she was dressed in casual civilian clothes and trying to tame her windswept hair.

Clint let her in, returning the hug she offered in greeting. "Stark didn't really fly you across the world in half an hour, did he?"

Her answer was soft and tired. "No, we jumped out of a moving plane though. That was pretty terrifying."

Clint chuckled before he realized she was serious.

Cami walked over to Loki, tossed back his blanket and quickly got comfortable on top of him. "Time to wake up," she said to Loki, cupping his cheek with her hand and kissing him softly. "Come on; we can't keep doing this or you'll be grounded soon too."

Clint knew he should probably go shave and leave them alone, but that thought was overridden by his curiosity. If this worked, he wanted to know why Cami could manage to wake Loki, but Natasha couldn't.

Cami continued to speak softly to him, making promises and downright begging between the kisses and the caresses.

"Are we screwed?" Clint finally asked when too much time had passed in his opinion.

"No, I think I'm getting through," she insisted. "He always takes a deep breath before he actually opens his eyes. Once he does that, I'm outta here. Best to not let him know I was here at all."

Clint stared at her, trying to understand her logic. "OK. If you say so, but..."

Cami had returned her attention to Loki, kissing and nibbling along his jaw. Then Cami made a sexually explicit suggestion to Loki that absolutely shocked Clint. He almost expected their parents to strike them both down dead from embarrassment.

"Cami Rae!" Clint exclaimed, but got no further because Loki took in a big breath of air and, true to her word, Cami bolted from the room.

* * *

When Loki opened his eyes, he was convinced that he'd see Cami there, but she wasn't. For a moment, he even thought he could feel her warmth and kisses and smell the scent of her shampoo. Finally he remembered that they'd left her on the helicarrier and his mood darkened a bit.

Clint was standing nearby with an odd expression. "Let's go. We're running late."

By the time Clint and Loki got to the restaurant, the others were finishing up. Natasha had ordered them some sandwiches to go. So they ate quickly while the team climbed into the vans for the drive over to the consulate.

Every time Loki caught Maria looking at him during the ride, she was frowning and giving him dagger-eyes. He hadn't said more than a few sentences to her since they left the helicarrier and none of them had been impolite. He had to assume she was angered by their tardiness earlier among her other reasons to dislike him.

When they arrived, Hill got them through security. Then they were met by a member of the consulate staff.

"The party officially starts at seven," the older, dignified woman said, walking them into the kitchen area. "The caterers will arrive at six and the musicians right after that." From there, they continued into the immense ballroom where there were two large staircases leading up to a long landing. At the other end of the ballroom was a decorative stone arch with the main entry hall beyond.

"We'll have guards at all entry points," the woman said. "There are a lot of offices, storage rooms and such on the second level so patrolling guards will help keep guests in the ballroom area."

Hill thanked the woman for her help then turned her attention to the group. "Natasha and Sif, head over to the caterer's and do a thorough inspection on the food, employees, vehicles, the whole thing."

"Yes, Ma'am," Sif said, accepting some paperwork from their escort.

Natasha's sole comment was an excited whisper to Sif about free samples.

"Clint and Mike, take a walk around the building and the neighborhood. Check out security measures and the guard placement for tonight. Make sure everything is sealed up tight."

The men nodded.

"Loki and I will confirm the background checks on all the guests, musicians and consulate staff. If you need us, we'll be working up in the security office."

Everyone took off to handle their assignments.

Loki and Hill walked up to the security office where all the camera feeds for the building and grounds were being monitored. The room had several computer terminals set up and they were each assigned one. Once they were assured they had the most current lists of names, Loki and Maria got to work.

Loki lost himself in the task, flexing his mental muscles and newly acquired knowledge to the point that he completed his lists ahead of schedule and moved on to help finish up Hill's.

"Oh," Maria said, suddenly breaking the hours-old silence, "Tony Stark is on this list."

Loki looked over, reading her screen. "Why is that surprising?" he asked. From what he knew about Stark, he was considered quite the celebrity and humanitarian.

"I guess it's not. They have Anthony Stark and five guests listed here. How am I supposed to do a background check on five unidentified people?"

Loki read the uncertainty in her eyes and could tell that she didn't like not knowing. "Is he daft enough to bring strangers to a function such as this?" he asked her.

"Well, we ARE talking about Stark," she answered with a look of disdain.

"What do you suggest?"

She gave it some thought. "We'll have to do spot checks when they arrive then. The team can keep an eye on Stark's guests until we give them the clear. Of course, he might not show at all. That would be typical of him too."

Loki nodded and they returned to work and their usual silence.

The team rotated out to the hotel in couples so everyone could get ready for the party and still have someone managing things at the consulate. Loki and Maria were the last ones to leave and return so they were walking into the consulate as the first of the guests arrived.

Loki wore a black tuxedo with a vest, bowtie and white dress shirt. Maria wore a backless, curve-hugging, white dress with a long, revealing slit up her thigh.

"Everyone report in," Maria said into her com, rushing through the kitchen for the ballroom.

Loki kept close, but at least a stride behind her. He was amused that she was moving so quickly in such a tight dress and uncomfortable looking shoes.

"We're on the landing near the hall to the bathrooms," Clint answered. "The guards are all in place."

"We're near the tables of hors d'oeuvres," Mike replied next. "Sif says she recognizes all the catering staff. Oh, and Sif is already breaking hearts in this spectacular gold dress."

"Hey, why do you think I'm hiding Natasha up here? The sharks are circling already," Clint joked back.

With an audible sigh, Maria stopped in the doorway of the ballroom and turned to wait for Loki. "We're going to stroll by the orchestra first and make sure we recognize everyone," she told the team. "Did we inspect the instruments as the musicians arrived?"

"Yes," Natasha said. "We had the security staff match the musicians against your records already."

"Oh, good," Maria said, once again coming to a stop while she tried to decide her next move.

A distinguished, older man's voice announced the arrival of more guests, during which, the orchestra stopped playing. Then the music resumed once they had stepped through the stone arch to enter the ballroom.

A waiter offered Loki and Hill a selection of finger foods from his tray. Maria shook her head, but Loki took one when he recognized they were serving his favorite food gravlaks with a yellow sauce on a thin cracker. "We worked instead of having dinner," he reminded her, taking a bite and finding it was delicious.

Maria rolled her eyes at his apparent appreciation of the food.

"Shouldn't we mingle and try to look like we're guests here?" Loki asked.

"The party just started. I'm not ready to let my guard down so soon."

"Fine," Loki said, taking on an air of surrender. "We're just going to stand here then?"

She glared at him in response.

The orchestra started into the first dance of the evening and Loki spotted Sif and Hopper walking out to the center area of the room with a handful of other couples. He watched them dance and let his mind drift to Cami.

_She would have loved this,_ he thought sorrowfully, _and been far better company than Agent Hill._

Over the next hour, Loki followed Hill around with irritation, swiping gravlaks at nearly every opportunity and graciously accepting hand-offs of champagne from his teammates, who apparently thought he would need the alcohol to get through the rest of the evening.

"Agent Hill," one of the security guards from the main gate called over the team line, "you said you wanted to be informed when a certain party arrived. We've confirmed he's got five guests with him."

"Yes, thank you," Maria responded. She quickly called to the security office. "Zoom in the cameras at the arch, we'll need close-ups and name recordings for the whole next group of arrivals."

Hill and Loki were currently up on the landing. Clint and Natasha stood a few feet away, speaking with a woman that Loki realized had starred as an elf in those Tolkien films that were so popular with their group. Sif and Mike were mingling on the main level. As Mike had mentioned earlier, Sif seemed to be collecting admirers of the male persuasion.

"Should I return to the security office?" Loki asked Maria, assuming she would want to jump on the background checks as the information was gathered.

"Wait," she said, gazing down across the length of the ballroom.

The music quieted and the announcer came over the speakers. "Iron Man, Anthony Stark escorting Ms. Virginia Potts."

Nearly every set of eyes turned to the arch and excited applause broke out as Tony and Pepper walked in. Tony wore a cherry red suit coat over a black shirt, tie and pants. Pepper wore an off-the-shoulder gown of matching cherry red.

"Oh my God," Natasha said. "They're here?"

Clint answered, "It appears so."

There was immediate dislike for Stark evident on Hill's features.

Tony was still basking in the warmth of the reception, waving to the crowd like he was leading a parade, of all things, when the announcer broke in. "Thor, Prince of Asgard escorting Dr. Jane Foster."

Loki froze as the crowd got louder. Just the sound of his brother's name filled him with resentment.

_The Prince of Asgard. Why would he make such a distinction if not to drive home a point?_

Thor entered the ballroom in his finest Asgardian armor and cape, smiling and nodding like a fool. His pretty and petite date wore a modest, yet striking, gown of dark blue and silver and looked quite overwhelmed by the attention.

"Excuse me," Loki muttered to Hill and turned away. He couldn't just stand there. His chest was so tight that he was in actual physical pain.

Clint grabbed Loki's arm as he walked by. "Whoa! What's wrong?"

"Leave me be," Loki snapped, pulling away. He didn't know where he intended to disappear to, but it certainly was not going to be the security office now that they would have captured his brother's picture on every screen.

"Captain America, Steven Rogers escorting Ms. Camille Barton," the announcer called out last.

_What?_ Loki turned, walking to the railing on the other side of Clint and Natasha. His eyes moved to the arch and the tightness in his chest actually seemed to get worse.

Steve emerged from the entry hall wearing a black tuxedo with tails. At his side was Cami in a strapless, black ball gown with a jeweled bodice and long flowing skirt.

Loki was stunned; his gaze locked on Cami with her hair a cascade of curls and the lights sparkling off the jewels on her dress, at her ears and around her neck. She was every bit as breathtaking as any of the Hollywood starlets in attendance.

"Wow, look at her," Natasha said with a wide grin.

"Beautiful," Clint agreed proudly.

Beyond Clint and Natasha, Maria made a sound not unlike a growl.

The music began again and Stark's group merged into the crowd.

Maria appeared at Loki's side. Her expression was angry and Loki realized she was probably as vexed with having the Avengers and Cami here as he was Thor.

"I suppose those background checks are unnecessary," she said stiffly.

Loki nodded.

She studied him for a long moment while he actively did the same to her.

"Just go," Maria said with a sigh. "Our op has been trumped by the Avengers. You might as well enjoy some of your evening with her."

He recognized the graciousness of her gesture. Maria Hill wanted to succeed at everything she did and having to compete with the undisciplined genius of Stark, a powerful demigod and a super soldier was hardly fair. Instead of tightening her reins, she was admitting defeat, but was not likely to easily forgive.

_We may be more alike than I first realized_, Loki thought.

He offered her his arm. "Shall we?"

Maria looked confused.

"If I'm to take Cami away from the good Captain, shouldn't I at least offer him a replacement, someone with intelligence and maturity that will compliment his own?"

She bit back a smile, seeming to have found humor with something he'd said, but ultimately agreed.

"This doesn't mean we're friends," she warned him as they started down the nearest staircase together.

"Of course not," he said. "I'm sure you'll have me brought up on some sort of charges by graduation."

Maria chuckled. "If I don't shoot you by then."

"I appreciate the warning," he said right before they stepped through the crowd to present themselves to Captain Rogers and Cami, who were standing near the food.

"There you are," Cami said to him with bright eyes and one of her special smiles. "Were you surprised?"

"Indeed, I was," he admitted, wishing he could easily convey just how therapeutic her presence was for him - especially since his brother was around somewhere.

Agent Hill and Captain Rogers had spent those few moments exchanging compliments.

"Steve, would it be terribly out of line if I stole Cami away?" Loki asked.

"I don't mind," Steve assured him. "I have a mission update from Fury to discuss with Agent Hill, if she doesn't mind my company."

Maria considered Steve carefully. "Can you dance, Captain?"

"Very well, actually," Steve said. "I've picked up a few new skills in the last couple years."

"If I've timed the orchestra correctly, a new dance will be starting soon," Maria said.

"Then that will be perfect," Steve said, offering her his arm and leading her away.

Cami was still smiling as she asked, "Am I in trouble?"

"Probably," Loki said mischievously and stepped closer. His eyes feasted on every detail of her. "I'm so glad to see you, my dear. You're unworldly beautiful."

"Thank you," she said, pushing up on her toes to give him a soft kiss. "You're such a charmer. Did you make nice with Agent Hill?"

"Not at all," he said. "In fact, I think she's planning to shoot me."

The orchestra began a waltz while Cami was giggling at this confession. Her gaze instantly drifted to the dance floor.

"Do you want to dance?" Loki asked, reaching for her hand.

"Do you know how?" she asked him with honest curiosity.

Loki decided not to tell her about all the hours he'd spent researching and watching videos of waltzes when he realized dancing wasn't just a hobby for her. It was a passion that she'd shoved aside in the pursuit of her brother's approval.

"I guess we'll find out, won't we?"

Steve and Maria were already on the dance floor when Loki and Cami stepped out. Sif and Mike abandoned their group of admirers to join in too. As the dancers continued to multiply, Cami's smile got bigger - especially when Natasha pulled Clint out there with them.

"You're amazing!" Cami said when the music ended and the couples dispersed again.

Loki said with a soft smile, "I've got to polish my footwork a bit, but I was planning to take you dancing if we made it through graduation."

"I'll hold you to that," she promised. Then her smile seemed to deflate and she asked, "Is there somewhere we can sit down?"

Loki led her upstairs and past the patrolling guards into a quiet corner sitting room with soft couches. By the time Cami was seated, she looked quite weary and a bit pale.

"You look tired," he said. "Was your trip here not agreeable?"

Cami shook her head, but offered no explanation.

"Tell me what to do," he said, taking a hold of her hand. "You have me worried."

She drew him down on the couch beside her and leaned close to remove and deactivate his communicator. Then she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Tony has rented a large house on the outskirts of the city," she said. "I have my own room. Will you stay with me there tonight?"

He wrapped his arms around her, sensing the meaning and significance of what she was asking. "Are you sure it will be alright?" he asked, thinking more of her sudden fatigued state than Stark's agreement.

"Yeah, we'll be fine."

"I'll have to tell someone where I'm going; probably Natasha would be the best choice."

Loki knew he should have been more distracted at the thought of being with her after all this time, yet he couldn't seem to get his mind past the possible obstacles, which made him wonder if this was going to be a very bad idea.


	22. Chapter 22

_Mischief Makers has 101 favorites!_

_My thanks to HawkeyeLover, featherstone5725, SissyPerigrin, amakitkat, Loki'sdreamer, Ellize Avalon, Rossi's Lil Devil, Kinzichi and Doctor-Tardis-Yes for their favorable reviews of recent chapters._

_It was not my intention to take so long to post this chapter. My father's declining health has taken precedence lately. I'm sure everyone understands because I know I have awesome readers_.

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty-Two:

It wasn't that long before a guard discovered Loki and Cami in the sitting room. "I believe your team is looking for you, Agent Murphy," the guard said. "Shall I escort the young lady back to the party?"

"That won't be necessary," Loki assured him.

Cami slipped Loki's communicator into his hand before standing and heading for the door where the guard was waiting.

Loki switched the com on and placed it in his ear. "Murphy reporting in," he said, aware that the guard was watching him.

"We're having a quick briefing in the kitchen," Hill answered back. "Please bring Trainee Barton and join us."

"Of course."

Loki followed Cami out, catching up with her in the hall. He told her, "We've been summoned to the kitchen." They reached the landing and descended the staircase. Then, as they made their way through the crowds, Loki noticed that Thor and his date were also heading in that direction.

Cami gripped Loki's hand and flashed him a reassuring smile. She pulled him through the doorway to find Hill's and Stark's groups were congregating, much to the dismay of the servers who had to go the long way around them to the ballroom.

Stark said from the center of the crowd. "Most of you know that tomorrow is Natasha's birthday. She once told me that she wasn't a fan of big parties. So, I hoped she wouldn't mind a small gathering of friends with some sightseeing and other relaxing activities."

Natasha stood across the group from Tony. She was dressed in a strapless, form-fitting, dark purple gown. Her wide green eyes and somewhat bewildered expression were good indicators that no one had mentioned any of this to her yet.

"I know this is a big surprise," Pepper quickly spoke up. "Is it alright?"

Natasha blinked hard and her mouth kind of fell open before she responded in small, hesitant sentences. "Uh, yeah. It's fine. Sounds really nice. Thanks."

"Director Fury has authorized those of us who are S.H.I.E.L.D. personnel to stay with Stark out at his rental house through tomorrow, if we wish," Hill said. "Is there anyone who needs to return to the helicarrier tonight?"

Since everyone looked pretty interested in being invited to Natasha's birthday event, no one spoke up.

"OK. This party ends in a couple of hours. So, my team will pack up our stuff and head over to the house afterwards," Hill said.

Loki pulled Cami back out of the room as the group started to break up and return to the party. His intent was to avoid Thor, which worked. However, Clint and Natasha spotted them right away and followed.

"You look great," Clint said to Cami.

"Thanks. Tony bought the dress and the jewelry," she confessed. "I don't know how I'm going to pay him back."

"Don't worry about it tonight. You can talk options with him later," Clint said.

"I'm glad you got to come," Nat said with a smile. Then as she leaned in to hug Cami, Loki caught the subtle scent of her rose perfume.

Clint asked, "You two going to hit the dance floor again? There was a slow one a few minutes ago."

"I haven't had much energy today," Cami said, leaning against Loki.

Clint focused on her features. "Everything OK?"

"We'll see after I get some decent rest."

Clint exchanged a look of worry with Natasha.

"There are quite a few celebrities here," Natasha said, trying to lighten the mood. "Is there anyone you want to meet?"

Cami wrinkled her nose and gently shook her head. "Actually, I was thinking about heading back to the house early. I would like to take Loki with me."

Loki's attention immediately settled on Clint.

"Oh," Clint said, frowning for a moment before he managed to get his expression under control. "Since this is Hill's op, she'll have to approve."

"I'll ask," Nat offered quickly, which Loki realized probably meant she was going to negotiate on their behalf. She walked away and activated her com, requesting that Hill meet her back in the kitchen.

This left poor Clint alone with them. Considering that he was purposely distracting himself with the surroundings, Loki guessed that he had reached the same conclusion about Cami's request that he had earlier.

"So, Nat wore your favorite color," Cami said with a grin. "She does know you like purple, right?"

Clint was distracted as he answered, "Uh, yeah. I'm sure she does."

"Purple?" Loki softly teased.

Cami threw Loki a look that gently asked him to 'be nice.' Then she said, "I think she looks gorgeous."

Loki agreed. "She's quite alluring."

Clint nodded, yet still searched the room for something else to focus on.

Cami was visibly amused by this reaction.

Loki, however, took this as a bad sign. "May I have a word with you?" He asked Clint, conveying respectful urgency.

With a further show of unease, Clint agreed and they stepped away to the entry which was mostly empty now. While Loki took a moment to choose his words, Clint pulled at his tie like he was trying to stop it from slowly strangling him.

"You're upset," Loki said in a guarded tone. "Care to tell me why?"

"I don't know," Clint said with a shrug. "I know Cami is an adult and I shouldn't be trying to dictate her life. It's just..."

"You want to protect her," Loki guessed.

"Yeah, I do." Clint met his gaze. "I consider you my friend, and I know you make Cami very happy, but you're... really old."

_Why does that matter?_ Loki wondered.

"I suppose it doesn't help that I'm also not human," Loki said.

"I don't care so much about that," Clint insisted. "You know things and have done things that she'll probably never imagine. I mean, she's barely twenty-one, a little naive and falling for you hard. What if this relationship doesn't work out?"

"Like you, I cannot see the future," Loki said. "I want to be with her now. Can't that be enough?"

Clint sighed deeply, averting his gaze back through the arch to where Cami was waiting.

"Love can be a dangerous distraction," Clint said.

"And a powerful motivator. We haven't been hiding our attraction. Surely you saw this coming eventually."

"It's not going to matter if I give you my blessing or not," Clint said. "We both know that Cami gets what she wants, one way or another."

Loki held his response for a moment to help make his point more poignant. "It will matter to me," he said.

There was profound revelation in Clint's eyes following this statement. Then a smile stretched his mouth, even as he fought to keep it from running away with him. "Wow; suddenly you give a damn about what I think," he said. "Where did that come from?"

"It sort of sneaked up on me," Loki admitted uncomfortably and shifted his gaze to the decorative marble floor.

"So, what you're saying is that you consider me your friend too."

Loki hadn't been prepared to talk about his friendship with Clint. He agreed, yet with his composure strained, Loki still managed to make his simple, "yes," almost unrecognizable.

Natasha and Cami walked into the entry together.

"You're clear to go," Natasha told Loki. "Steve promised Maria that he'd stay until the end of the party to help cover."

Loki nodded then looked back at Clint. He'd hoped to have reached a resolution before Natasha returned.

"See you in the morning at the house?" Cami asked her brother as she stepped up and gripped Loki's hand.

"Yeah." Then to Loki, Clint said, "Have a good night," and he appeared sincere despite his discomfort.

Loki let Cami say their farewells. Then Cami led him out the front door and down the stairs to the waiting limousine.

"Your conversation with Clint looked a little tense," Cami commented once the limo had pulled out on the road. "Did you get it worked out?"

Loki was staring through the window, taking time to collect himself. "I hope so," he said. He would have felt better if he'd had the opportunity to gauge Clint's feelings over the span of a few days rather than minutes. Now that they were admitting to being friends, a whole new level of difficulty entered into play.

"He didn't threaten you, did he?"

"No," Loki said factually. Then he thought, _At least then I wouldn't feel quite so unsettled right now._

"What did he say?"

Though she had a right to her curiosity, Loki really didn't want to recount the entire conversation for her. That certainly wasn't a polite thing to do since Clint would have assumed some discretion on Loki's part.

"He thinks I'm too old for you," Loki said.

Cami considered him for a moment. "Ouch?"

"I AM ancient by human standards," Loki muttered, still trying to decide how much Clint's complaint hurt his feelings.

"Do you feel old?" she asked.

"Sometimes," he admitted honestly, "especially in this mortal form."

Cami cuddled against his side, looking sympathetic. As time passed, her eyes seemed to glaze over. Loki thought she might fall asleep by the time they arrived, but somehow she didn't.

"Ms. Barton," the driver called back to Cami as the limo pulled up to an immense house near the beach, "will your guest need a ride?"

"No. Thank you, Stefano." Cami sat up, taking a deep breath.

Cami stepped out of the limo as soon as it stopped, thanked the driver then moved up the path for the front door. Loki followed behind her, watching as she fished a key out of her bra. She unlocked the door, and then deactivated the house's security system as they entered.

While Loki took a few moments to look around, Cami secured the house again.

She said, "This place is huge. Tony says it belongs to some famous fashion designer that he and Pepper met at a party once."

Loki returned to where she waited, pulling her close. "Are we alone?" he asked, cocking his head to listen to the sounds of the house.

"The servants aren't coming back until after we leave."

"Ah, real privacy." He felt a little astounded that such a thing was possible any more.

"My room is upstairs," Cami said and took his hand, leading him to the spacious kitchen in the back of the house. There they climbed a spiral staircase to a room of mostly windows on the second floor, which Cami referred to as a sunroom. By then, she looked pretty tired, but she seemed determined to keep moving.

Cami's bedroom was a few doors down from the sunroom. She turned on the light as they entered. The bedroom was also spacious, decorated in browns, reds and other warm colors. All of the furniture was made of sturdy, dark wood. The large bed was on a tall and heavy frame. Loki walked up to it, spying a box of condoms on the nightstand. He turned to look at her. "This bed seems a bit tall for you," he said.

"I chose this room for the size of the bed," Cami insisted, shutting and locking the bedroom door. She approached, then turning her back to him, Cami requested, "Help me with my zipper?"

Loki obliged, taking advantage of her bared shoulder to lay a trail of kisses up to her neck, which he had discovered during their makeout sessions was one of her most sensitive areas.

Cami pulled out of his reach before he could get a good grip on her and stepped out of her dress and shoes. She gathered the dress and took the time to hang it in the closet. She also set her house key and jewelry on the vanity. This left her in only silky black underwear.

Loki removed his suit coat, laying it over the chair in the corner then dropped his cufflinks and communicator in the pocket.

He was eyeing the luggage lined up against the wall as Cami crossed the room and climbed up onto the bed.

"Steve packed you some extra clothes and stuff," she told him, taking a seat on the edge and reaching out to snag his waistband. "Check this out." She pulled him closer so he was standing between her parted thighs.

"Certainly a convenient height," he commented slyly.

When she spoke there was a sultry purr to her voice. "I thought it would be an appealing option."

Loki lifted her chin and kissed her passionately, feeding off her enthusiasm as their mouths seemed to cooperate one moment, then just as quickly, taunt and tease each other. Their eyes made wordless challenges and even some promises that fueled their rising desire.

She started to undress him, removing his tie, vest and shirt to reveal his scarred chest, which she kissed and licked seductively. Her warm, wet kisses made his sensitive scars ache. It was surprising to Loki that the pain was so arousing.

He went after her mouth again, only to find that she was becoming a little sluggish in responding to him. With concern he asked, "How are you feeling?"

She sounded weary and looked pale as she tried to deflect his concern. "I'm fine," she said a bit too quickly, which led him to believe that she was purposely lying or being overly optimistic. The truth was right in front of him.

"My dear," he said with care, coming to a less-than-desirable conclusion, "we should wait and try this some other time."

"No, I'm OK," Cami insisted quickly, grabbing his hips to keep him close.

He said firmly, "You are tired and don't feel well."

Disappointment flooded her features. "I thought you wanted to."

"I want you very much," Loki affirmed. "And I will want you just as much when you're stronger."

She released him, sulking as she looked away. Finally she asked, "Is this because of Clint?"

He said with sudden, guilt-induced agitation, "No. I gave you my reason."

Cami drew her knees up, wrapped her arms around and rested her head on them. Her curls fell forward helping to hide her from his inspection.

Loki knew her tears were coming before she started to sniffle. Because of his show of anger, she was probably blaming herself for circumstances that were outside her control.

It pained him to see her upset. He gently touched the back of her head. "I'm sorry."

She made a nodding motion, but didn't come out from under the curls.

_Damn you, woman!_ Loki thought, frustrated with the inner turmoil that she caused him with so little effort.

"We've had another small setback. There is plenty of time for this," Loki assured her. He leaned in, pushing aside her hair and gently kissed her ear. Then he stayed close to whisper apologetically, "What more can I say?"

She was silent and wouldn't look at him, which was vexing and harder on him than a verbal outburst would have been.

Loki eased onto the bed beside her. "Please," he begged, "you wound me with such treatment."

He couldn't just take it back and pick up where they'd left off. In this instance, the 'no' had to stand.

She sighed, then turned her head to meet his gaze. "You are weird," she decided. "A normal guy doesn't turn down sex."

Loki said after a moment of thought, "In the past I have been very selfish with my partners."

She studied him, seeming to read his thoughts and feelings directly from his features. "Tell me about your other lovers," Cami said, wiping her eyes.

Baffled by this request, Loki said delicately, "I... don't think we should talk about them."

Cami asked, "Why not?"

He said to her, "Because I'm here with you now."

"You were banished to Earth as part of your punishment. Who knows where you'd be otherwise."

"While your point is well taken, there is no one for you to worry about."

"No one?" said a strong, resonating voice that made Loki's skin crawl.

Loki jumped to his feet, pulling Cami off the bed and behind him as he turned. On the far side of the bedroom a black, shadowy portal had opened, and standing at the threshold was the only woman that he vehemently wished he could forget. She had the blue skin, markings and red eyes of the Jotun, yet with the delicate, pointed ears and features of a Light Elf. Her hair was long, full and white. She was easily seven feet tall and had a hefty build exaggerated by the dark hides and furs that she wore.

Behind her, the scene visible through the portal reminded Loki of the ice caverns of the Odenheim and suddenly there was a noticeable chill in the room, which led him to believe that Jahla's plans against the Jotun were still in motion.

"I could tell her about OUR night of passion."

"You were the biggest mistake I ever made," Loki said to her with true hatred.

She didn't appear surprised or bothered by his scathing words.

"Let me see your new girl," Jahla said, stepping away from the portal toward the bed.

"She is none of your concern," Loki spat back, keeping Cami tucked behind him.

"Now she HAS become my concern," Jahla said firmly.

The portal flickered and, to his dread, the other Loki stepped through. "I see we've interrupted a private moment," the double said as if he realized an apology was in order, though he didn't offer one.

Loki kept Cami behind him. He was panicking inside and he knew that would hinder him from thinking fast enough to stay ahead of them. Unfortunately, he and Cami had no weapons, magic, or backup. If only his communicator wasn't in his coat on the chair beside their uninvited guests.

"What do you want?" Loki asked them.

"You and I haven't spoken recently," the double said to Loki, walking up to stand beside Jahla. "I bet it feels good to be talking again. That was quite a risk you took to break the curse, especially after I warned you about getting into trouble." He started a slow walk around the bed. "I don't think you took me seriously when I said your little pet would suffer."

An strong fear rose up in Loki, but quickly converted to anger. "If you lay a hand on her...!"

"Save your useless threats," the other Loki interrupted him. "Cami and I have already been introduced."

Cami's grip on Loki's arm tightened as she peeked out at them. "No... we haven't," she stammered.

"You just don't remember," the other Loki said, focusing his intense gaze on her. "Let's show him the product of his insolence, shall we?"

Loki tensed as the double made a gesture toward Cami, but it wasn't a casting gesture. He was, in fact, removing a spell.

Cami grimaced and suddenly collapsed against him. Loki grabbed and cradled her as he eased her to the floor. Her skin was covered with long, dark bruises that curled around her limbs and throat. A blood vessel had broken in her left eye, flooding it with red. The worst discovery, though, was the dark and inflamed T-shaped scar peeking up from the top of her underwear that stretched from hip to hip and appeared to go all the way down to her pelvic bone.

Cami's eyes were wide as she looked down at the scar and her features contorted as terror overtook her. "He cut me open!" she cried.

Loki was equally horrified and furious when he realized the double had used a glamour on her to hide the injuries.

He held Cami as she started sobbing. "She is an innocent!"

"You were warned," the other Loki said. "You won't heed my threats if I don't follow through on them." He pulled a blood blade and took a moment to admire its cruel design. "Have you learned your lesson now?"

Loki rested his forehead on Cami's, trying to gently shush her as he trembled with rage.

"Have you no mercy at all?"

"You know I don't," was the double's cold reply. He walked right up to them, holding the blade close to Loki's face. "I would slowly carve you into pieces if I could, you pathetic weakling. Unfortunately, that will not be today." Then he seized Loki by the throat with his free hand, pulling him away from Cami and lifted him off the ground.

Loki futilely tried to break the strangling hold, realizing that he was being choked into unconsciousness.

* * *

The books on the bed, his blade, her blood and endless, indescribable pain - the memories were so vivid that Cami couldn't easily sort them from the current reality. When she opened her eyes her vision was blurred with tears. She could barely make him out, the one who had hurt her and relished every moment of her torment, and now he was going after Loki.

Confident that he wasn't paying attention to her, Cami kicked powerfully at the Bad Loki's knee, causing it to suddenly buckle and bring both men crashing down beside her. The kick also sent a wave of pain through her lower body, which slowed her down as she rolled onto her knees and crawled for the bedroom door.

The Bad Loki growled, grabbing her foot and yanking her off balance. Cami fell heavily on her stomach and chest, screaming into the thick fibers of the carpet as pain tore through her.

There was a struggle going on near her feet. The men were exchanging blows while Loki coughed and tried to breathe. Unfortunately, the fight ended quickly from the sound of it.

Cami attempted to rise from her prone position, screaming for Loki, but got nowhere as more pain paralyzed her movements.

Then she felt a chill on her exposed flesh as a frigid touch fell on her lower back.

"She is bleeding inside," Jahla said, apparently speaking to the other Loki. "We will take her."

"And him?"

"Heal his injuries, and then leave him."

Jahla's cold, strong hands rolled Cami over and picked her up. Cami caught only a glimpse of Loki's unconscious form on the floor before she lost sight of him. She stared fearfully as the Jotun woman held her close, examining her with critical and intimidating red eyes. Then Jahla carried her across the room and through the portal.

The temperature dropped dramatically from one location to the other and Cami was shivering within moments of their arrival in what appeared to be an ice cave. The cold air stung her nasal passages, throat and lungs, and bit at her exposed flesh, causing her to tense up and further agitate her injuries. Though she tried to take in details of her surroundings at first, Cami was becoming lethargic. So, she closed her eyes and huddled against Jahla's furs for warmth.

"If you wish to live, you cannot sleep," the Jotun woman told Cami, shocking her eyes open with a single icy touch to her forehead.

They entered a passage, which let out into another cave. Here Cami could see signs of habitation, including a small fire, cooking pots and stone dishes. Near the fire was a pile of furs, which is where Jahla gently laid Cami, taking the time to cover her before rummaging through supply packs fashioned from animal leather and some jars and pots lined up along the adjacent wall.

"Why are you trying to save me," Cami asked with trepidation, "after your Loki did this?"

Jahla did not acknowledge her question except to say, "He is not MY Loki."

Cami didn't understand. "He is working with you. He follows your orders."

"Our agreement does not make him mine."

Cami didn't know what to say and her brain was too muddled with pain and cold to really be carrying on much of a conversation.

Time passed. It could have been minutes or an hour and Cami wouldn't have trusted herself to know the difference. Jahla was moving about the cave, collecting things and bringing them back to the fire. Every so often she would lean close to tap Cami's cheeks or forehead to keep her awake, her frosty fingers sending jolts of cold into Cami's system and making her shiver.

The other Loki strolled in and stood at the edge of the fur pile to take in the scene.

Cami tensed immediately as images of his torture flashed through her mind. The pain inside her seemed to pulse with these recovered memories.

"How much blood do you need?" the other Loki asked Jahla.

"How many do you have in your little prison?"

"Including the mages?"

"No."

"Only the children. The others have perished."

This answer was displeasing it seemed as Jahla uttered some harsh words that Cami didn't understand.

"I can bleed the children, but the mages' blood is still stronger by far."

Jahla said sternly to him, "Must I remind you? She is a Sensitive."

The double looked annoyed by this reprimand. "Should I go find a more suitable sacrifice on Midgard?"

Cami listened to this interaction with growing horror. It was bad enough that the Bad Loki stood mere inches from her, but he was speaking of imprisoning and bleeding children and finding a sacrifice, which left her with a nagging pain in her chest in addition to her abdomen wounds.

The double smiled cruelly at Cami as he noticed her reaction to his words.

Jahla said, "Give me her dagger."

"It won't be enough," he said, pulling a hauntingly familiar knife, flipping it skillfully so he could catch it by its blade and then handing it to Jahla. "You used most of her blood already."

"Do not begin to assume you understand my craft," she warned him with a piercing gaze.

"Be respectful in front of the patient," he said in a tone that was eerily calm, yet telling in comparison to the poisonous look he was giving Jahla.

"You two are horrible," Cami accused, feeling too sick and weak in their presence to really consider possible consequences of being so verbal.

"Little one," the Bad Loki said with amusement, "your opinion hardly matters. Be grateful that a sorceress as powerful as Jahla is bothering to save your pitiful life."

Jahla did not care for his compliment, it seemed. In fact, she looked equally annoyed with both of them. "Fill a blade with mortal blood," she said to him, then chided, "Try being less zealous collecting it this time."

"Sometimes you take all the enjoyment out of my work," he complained. Casting another menacing look over at Cami, which made her cower, the double left through the same passage he had entered by.

Jahla moved to Cami's side, setting down the dagger and a bowl with some paste she'd been mixing and mashing stuff into since they had arrived. She threw back the furs, exposing Cami's flesh to the freezing air.

Cami wished she was a little closer to the small fire and could curl up in a ball. It certainly didn't help when Jahla used her frigid hands to push the silky underwear off her hips so she could rub the paste on her scar. The paste made the irritated skin sting so terribly that Cami screamed and tried to block Jahla from applying more.

"It will numb," the sorceress said, batting Cami's hands impatiently out of her way.

Grabbing handfuls of the fur pelt beneath her, Cami shivered and suffered in tense silence while tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Meanwhile, infection oozed out of the scar in the form of a yellowish-white pus and was carefully wiped away by Jahla.

Finally, as she had promised, the scar began to numb. Jahla shocked her awake again before leaning close with the dagger in hand.

"No!" Cami cried and grabbed Jahla's wrist.

"Be still or I will bind you to the altar," Jahla threatened, indicating a stone table against the opposite wall. Then she easily pulled out of Cami's grip.

There was movement and sound in the shadows of the passage, which drew their attention. Loki stumbled forward into the light of the fire, landing on his knees and hands on the hard rock. He was dressed in his suit pants and formal shirt from the party, though his shirt was untucked and only partially buttoned. As he looked angrily back over his shoulder, the double entered the cavern from behind.

"I told you to leave him," Jahla sneered.

The double glared at her, but didn't speak.

Loki climbed to his feet and hurried to Cami's side. He looked her over with worried eyes.

"She's going to cut me," Cami whimpered, though she didn't expect that he could do much about it.

"It's alright," he said and reached out to touch her cheek. His touch was hot against her cold flesh. "She is going to heal you, my love."

Jahla was watching him with cold, critical eyes. Slowly she lifted the dagger again and turned her focus back to Cami.

Loki gripped Cami's chin, turning her face in his direction. "Look at me," he ordered her with gentle insistence. When her eyes tried to move back, he blocked her view with his hand.

Cami felt the jolt of the blade piercing her flesh, but the area was so numb, she didn't feel any pain. She tried not to listen to Jahla's low mutterings and just concentrate on Loki.

"Why is this happening?" she asked him, her voice breaking.

He shook his head, caressing her hair and face tenderly. "I don't know, but we'll be alright as long as we do what they ask."

"I'm so glad you're here," Cami admitted.

He kissed her forehead and took her hand in his. "It's almost over, my love."

"I need the blood you collected," Jahla said, turning to him.

Cami was momentarily confused to see her Loki pull a blade out of the air and casually hand it to the Jotun.

She yanked her hand out of his grasp. "You're not my Loki!"

All signs of caring and concern melted from his features, leaving him looking arrogant and overly-pleased by his deception. The dress shirt and pants were replaced with his black leather in a blink of an eye and the duplicate he'd made of himself flickered and disappeared.

"I hate you!" Cami cried, turning her head from his gloating expression to catch Jahla wiping blood from her body.

He quickly snatched her wrists and pressed them down on either side of her head as he leaned in close enough to touch noses.

"You are an impertinent and ungrateful little girl."

She met his gaze and glared back, "I should have known you weren't him. Loki never uses the word love with me."

Jahla gave him a strong nudge out of the way so she could lay the furs back over Cami. "She must rest. Wrap her up and take her to him."

He frowned. "I still have to suppress her memories."

"Then do so," Jahla said with agitation. She collected her things and moved back to the fire. "No more tricks."

The double looked back at Cami, his eyes once again cold and piercing as he reached his hand toward her. Cami pulled away, but didn't have far to go without evacuating the cover and warmth of the furs. With his long reach and quick reflexes, he caught her by the hair and held on tight while she pulled at his fingers and scratched the back of his hand.

"Stop!" she screamed at him.

"No," he said, grabbing her arm with the other hand and pulling her back to him. He clamped his hand over her forehead and dark energy seeped out from the edges of his palm. "You cannot deny me what I want," he said as he punctured her mind with his will.


	23. Chapter 23

*Warning! There are explicit sexual situations described in the last segment of this chapter. Read at your own risk.*

Fondest regards and appreciation to my recent reviewers: pure-black-wings, Loki'sdreamer, HawkeyeLover, Ellize Avalon, NoVacancyMind, featherstone5725 and Kinzichi for motivating me to complete this chapter- even after I had to re-write it several times.

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty-Three:

"Something wrong with your champagne?" Natasha asked Clint, joining him in the corner of the ballroom furthest from the orchestra.

Clint looked down at the glass in his hand. He guessed that he'd been carrying it around for almost an hour now. "No," he said, but still didn't partake of any.

Natasha stepped close, right into his personal space, and stared until he met her gaze. "You're moping."

"I just... have a bad feeling," Clint said.

Her expression softened. "OK. Explain it to me."

He studied her beautiful green eyes and the patient concern on her features. He collected his thoughts, wanting to make sense of them before he spoke, but having difficulties. "It feels like we're missing something important."

"All of our schedules have been thrown off lately," Natasha said. "Training Loki and Cami has us a little out of the loop. It will work itself out."

"No, that's not it." Clint shook his head. "This feeling, it nags at me like I've forgotten..."

"Forgotten what?"

"I don't know... and that worries me."

"Hey," she said gently, reaching out to straighten his tie that he kept fiddling with, "we're in Italy and don't have to work for my birthday. Can we just try to have some fun with our friends?"

"Uh, yeah," Clint said, looking guiltily at his champagne. "I'm sorry. Guess I'm just stressed out."

She reached up and rubbed at his forehead, hitting the tense spot exactly.

The party was winding down so the committee announced the last dance of the evening and the orchestra started a slow, romantic melody. Couples flocked to the dance floor, including several members of their combined group.

"Is Hill mad about all this?" Clint asked, seeing Maria and Steve standing together, watching the room.

"She didn't say so, but... you know ..." Natasha said, taking a step back.

Clint realized that he'd broken the moment by changing the topic. Now that it was done, he immediately wished he could undo it.

"You look great," Clint told her, his eyes skimming down her figure and back up to her eyes again. "I should have said so earlier."

Her smile brightened as she took the chance to ogle him back. "You look good too, handsome."

Nat took his champagne, drank half of it and handed the glass to a passing waiter. "Let's go, Barton," she said with authority, taking his hand. She pulled him out to the dance area. "I'll even let you lead."

Clint drew her close, gripping her waist as she slipped her hands up his chest and around his neck. They started to move. He stared into the depths of her intricate green eyes, drawn in by the balance of confidence, cunning and curiosity he could see there. In a way, he was almost afraid of her, which was intriguing since he trusted Natasha Romanoff more than anyone else he knew.

"That's a pretty intense look," Nat commented after observing him for a little while. "Everything OK?"

_No, it's not, _Clint thought. His gut told him that there was something big going on, yet he was allowing himself to be distracted by her.

The lights reflected off her eyes like they were jewels. He admired the gentle curve of her bared neck down to her shoulder, and the way the purple dress hugged her toned and sensuous body. Her subtle perfume tickled his senses and made him want to track down the exact spots on her flesh where she had applied it so he could get closer and inhale the concentrated effect.

"Well?" she asked when he stared at her too long instead of responding.

He stopped moving, the music forgotten as his mind contemplated an important question - did he have the guts to speak his heart to the woman he desired above all others, even if it jeopardized their standing as partners?

"You wore this purple dress for me, didn't you?" he asked, surprising himself with the question because of how serious his tone sounded. He wasn't teasing or lightly flirting like they did on rare occasions.

Her steady gaze and smile faltered enough to catch his notice and she fidgeted just a bit in her hips, which he felt with his hands. She didn't say no, make a joke, or even flirt back. He'd stunned her, and Natasha truly looked at a loss for how to respond.

Clint hated himself for disarming her like that, yet felt some exhilaration at the prospect of what the accomplished feat could mean.

Seconds passed in a heavy, meaningful silence before Agent Hill broke the com line. "Barton, Romanoff, the guards are starting to clear the second level. Supervise their efforts."

Clint slowly moved his hand from Natasha's waist to activate his com. "Roger that."

"I'll take the left corridor," Natasha said to him suddenly. She stepped back, pivoted and headed for the stairs, casually regaining confidence in her frame as she got further away from him.

* * *

As was becoming her custom, Hel made Loki wait among her subjects for what seemed like days before she finally made her appearance.

"I am tired of this game, Hel," Loki said. "Tell me his plans."

"He wants you guarded from death;" Hel said, "nothing more has been asked of me."

"It cannot be that simple. You HAVE to tell me what he promised you in return."

"I do not," she said determinedly and frowned deeper than she already had been.

He muffled a growl, trying to maintain some manner of civility with her. "I am your father. Shouldn't I know what my daughter desires?"

"Your interest after all this time is far from touching."

Her words actually stung him and he doubted he masked it very well since her eyes were studying him with an intensity that indicated she could see him, even though he appeared to have no physical form from his own perspective.

"I sense changes in you," she said with deep consideration. "Why?"

It hardly seemed fair for him to answer her question when she repeatedly refused to answer his; yet, he found the words slipping out much easier than he would have expected.

"I had an unfortunate run-in with a blood sorceress," Loki admitted.

Hel's interest was piqued. "What happened?"

"She tore me apart. She took my strengths and gave them all to that perverse double of me."

Hel drifted a little closer. "But where did this 'other you' come from, Father?"

"I conjured him as nothing more than a complex illusion, and Jahla used my blood and seed to give him life. I believed her when she said she could permanently free me of Odin's spell by moving it to the double. He was meant to be the one who was weak - not me." There was tightness in his chest with the weight of this confession.

"So he is half of you," she clarified. "Your soul has been divided."

"More than half, I'd say," Loki said bitterly. "He has all my magical abilities and others that he's developed on his own."

In that moment, she almost looked a little sympathetic.

"Though blood magic is very powerful, it cannot do to a soul what you are claiming," Hel said firmly. "You speak of spirit magic."

"How do you know this?" Loki asked her.

"Is my magic not similar?" Hel said. "I control the spirits here. This woman must have some power over living souls."

"Blood and spirit magic," Loki pondered aloud, "how would someone counter such a combination?"

Hel backed away, drawing up the hood of her oversized cloak.

"Wait," Loki called to her. "I need your keen insight on this matter, my dear. Please?"

"I am done here. I have the information I need."

"What information?" he asked with renewed irritation. Wouldn't it be just his luck that his own daughter was using him when he thought she might really care about his plight?

She turned away, choosing to ignore him.

"He has hurt people I care about," Loki pleaded with her. "Let us negotiate our own contract."

Hel paused, floating on the mists. "He will not hurt her again," she said in a soft, almost tender tone that was a bit uncharacteristic of her.

Loki was caught off guard. "Explain," he demanded.

"He said she was beautiful and that you prized her above all others."

"What part does Cami play in your bargain with him?" Loki asked heatedly. "What do they want from her?"

Long moments passed in silence with only the random groans of the dead to fill them.

"Hel," Loki pressed, "give me an answer."

"I hope you truly have changed," Hel said, swiftly abandoning him.

* * *

Cami stirred awake because her bladder was aching insistently. She turned on the bedside lamp, threw back her covers and carefully slid down to the floor. It took her a few moments to find her robe in her suitcase, but she managed and pulled it on over her bra and underwear.

Someone had set Loki's bag from the hotel outside her door and she nearly tripped on it in her rush. She moved it over with the other luggage and continued to the bathroom, finding it unoccupied.

When Cami returned to her room, she locked the door behind her again. She discarded her robe on top of the pile of Loki's dress clothes.

Loki appeared to be resting peacefully. It was still early morning by Naples time, but Cami decided she would try to wake him.

It was then that she realized she had no memory of them having sex. In fact, her lack of memories after entering the bedroom made her worry that she'd fallen asleep on him. This theory seemed even more likely when she spotted the unopened box of condoms on the nightstand.

She climbed back up onto the bed, shifting covers out of her way until she reached Loki, dressed only in his boxers. Cami straddled his hips and laid out on his chest. She had to strain just a little bit to reach his mouth, the reality being that he not only had long legs, but was also longer in his torso.

"You know," she said, starting to caress his face, "these little talks can be nice. I tell you stuff that I don't want to share with anyone and my reward is that you wake up, being all sexy and sometimes sweet... and for some reason you only wake up for me. It's such a romantic notion - Loki the Sleeping Prince. You're all mine until you close your eyes. Then the evil Sandman drags your consciousness back to his domain."

Cami knew she was being ridiculous, but Loki wasn't in a position to care or judge her little fantasy.

"I think I was dreaming about the Odenheim last night," she told him. "Everything was rocky and covered with ice. The cold seemed so real and I felt a profound sadness there, which made me think of you."

She gently kissed him. "I wish I could help you," she said, staring and studying his relaxed features, "but you need something that all the hugs and kisses in the world can't replace. That's why..." She paused, feeling instantly too emotional to admit out loud that she knew he would be compelled to leave her some day and she wouldn't be able to change his mind.

His sudden, deep intake of breath startled her and Cami sat back to give him some room. Since Arizona, he'd never awakened this quickly.

Loki rubbed at his face and opened his eyes, focusing on her. "Are those tears?" he asked with concern, gripping her legs to help him sit up. "What happened?"

"Nothing," she said, shaking her head of messy hair and wiping her eyes. "You caught me confessing. I tell you secrets while you're asleep."

He smiled with uncertain amusement. "You cannot tell me these things while I'm awake?"

Again she shook her head. There were no good words to explain the significance of the ritual to him.

"I don't tell you things too," he admitted, looking down between their bodies and rubbing her thighs.

She smoothed his hair. "I'm sure you'll tell me when you're ready."

His gaze skimmed up her body and he looked at her as if he was seeing something he'd not noticed before. "I've never met anyone as accepting as you."

Cami shrugged. "I know I can't always help or change things."

"But you do change things, all the time. Clint and I joke about how Cami always gets what she wants."

"I don't think things happen just because I want them to. There are smarter and wiser people around than me. Sometimes I just have to point out a fact or possibility for someone to make a different call."

Loki reached up and took a hold of her chin as he drew in close enough to almost kiss her. "You've said on more than one occasion that you don't think you're very smart, but I easily recognize your intelligence," he said. "You ARE capable of great things. Perhaps you should stop trying to be what others think you should and trust your own instincts."

She stared at him, feeling unnerved and vexed by his words and haunting eyes. It wasn't that long ago that she was the one giving him a pep talk, trying to make him see just how useful he was despite the loss of his magic.

"Sometimes you have to play by the rules if you don't want to end up alone," she said sadly.

"You won't be alone," Loki tried to assure her.

Cami drew back and climbed off him. She settled on the mattress, turning away onto her side.

With a sigh, Loki curled up against her back, wrapping his arm around her waist and softly kissing her shoulder. "I apologize for the lecture. Though, I meant every word," he said sincerely.

Cami quietly mulled over what he'd said, noting the loss of his touch as he left the bed.

"Bathroom is to the right," she said, assuming that was where he was headed as he stepped into the hallway.

Loki returned a few minutes later, gesturing to the clock as he sat beside her. "Isn't it a little early for us to be up?" he asked.

"I wanted some time alone with you before the day got crazy," she said. "Plus, you woke up really fast this time."

"Then I was obviously eager to be with you too," Loki said.

She nodded, but frowned. "I'm really sorry about last night," she said.

He looked at her quizzically. "Why? What happened last night?"

Cami picked up the box of condoms and held it out to him. "Apparently nothing happened last night. I must have fallen asleep or something. Why don't you know?"

He took the box, giving it only a few seconds inspection. When he spoke, there was an edge to his voice. "My memories of last night are scattered and unclear."

"Oh."

"Perhaps I had too much champagne."

Cami felt sorry for him because he looked so confused. She pulled him down next to her and embraced him.

"I remember that you weren't feeling well at the party," he said. "You look much better now."

Cami ran a hand through her tangled hair. "I think you have an ulterior motive for that compliment. I know I look terrible."

Loki looked sexy as hell as he smiled at her. Cami let him shift positions, settling his larger frame on top of hers.

"I'm ready to make up for last night," Loki said, leaning in to deliver slow, warm kisses on her shoulder. "Any objections?"

Cami could not deny the immediate rush of arousal that he caused within her body. If she hadn't known he was mortal, she would have sworn that he'd just cast a spell on her.

* * *

"I haven't done this in a while," Cami warned Loki. "I guess I'm a little nervous, and I might not last long the first time."

Since she brought it up, he felt within his rights to ask, "How long has it been?"

"Over a year," she said.

It had been even longer for him - almost two years, he realized. He wouldn't admit that to her unless she asked.

He gave her a kiss, letting it deepen and grow of its own accord as Cami's nerves settled. With time they fell into the comfortable familiarity from their make out sessions, yet with the excitement of just how far they were planning to take their passions.

Loki slipped his hands around to unhook her strapless bra. He tossed the garment aside before shifting down to stimulate her supple breasts. He stroked and sucked her pink nipples in turn to get them hard and then further teased the nubs with his tongue while Cami trembled and her breathing quickened.

She squirmed beneath him and he could tell she was trying to untangle her legs from his. He moved off of her and stretched out against her side, nudging apart her thighs with his right hand. He cupped her mound through her damp underwear, giving her a caress, which made her jump.

"So sensitive," he commented with a smile, leaning in to capture her mouth with a penetrating kiss. Her tongue wrestled with his as she bucked gently against his hand.

Loki moved down to slide Cami's panties slowly off her body. After depositing them over the edge, he slipped between her legs.

He admired her glistening folds for a few moments before eagerly leaning in to touch and taste her with his tongue. She shuddered and fidgeted as he delved in, exploring her sex inside and out, feasting on her plentiful juices and reveling in her intoxicating scent. He stroked and applied pressure to her sensitive bud as Cami's breathing came and went in rushes. He gripped her thighs in his arms to keep her close as she tried squirming away from him when the sensations grew stronger. He wanted to push her just a bit past what she thought she could handle. Moments later, her whole body tensed and she bucked violently in orgasm, while she screamed into the pillows.

"Oh my God," Cami uttered as she panted and shivered in the aftermath. "You are amazing."

Loki felt tremendous accomplishment from her reaction. He crawled up her body, purposely pressing the bulge in his boxers against her wet and quivering heat. He admitted with a sly grin, "I couldn't help myself."

"I'm not complaining," she giggled and shook her head. Pulling him down on top of her, Cami kissed him passionately, gripping him tightly around the back of the neck and tangling her fingers in his long hair.

Even Loki was panting when the intense kiss broke. "You're welcome," he said, continuing to grin at her enthusiasm.

"Lie down," Cami said, sounding very comfortable ordering him around. "Your turn."

He complied, taking her spot as she rolled out of the way and onto her knees.

Cami immediately tugged off his boxers and also took some time to inspect him. Already very aroused, he was visibly longer than the average human male and from her expression, Cami noticed.

"You have a scar here," Cami said, lightly touching the side of his scrotum with her fingertips.

He knew the spot, but his memory immediately clouded over as he thought about it. Loki said with exasperation, "That's not exactly the reaction I was expecting."

"I'm easily distractible," she said in her own defense. "That scar looks different than your others."

He tried not to sound too annoyed as he said, "I don't think now is a good time to talk about this." He decided not to mention that he couldn't talk about it with less-than-intact memories.

"Mood-killer, huh?" Cami teased, not appearing to expect a response from him.

She stroked his length tentatively at first as she kissed at his chest and stomach and then took him in hand with a firm grip. She certainly did not appear intimidated, especially when she leaned over and licked the head up one side and down the other, sending a strong jolt of sensation straight through him.

"How long has it been for you?" Cami asked, eyeing him.

"Almost two years," Loki said. "That's a while for me."

She nodded and her lips curled up in a mischievous smile as she started at the base of his penis and licked the underside all the way up to the tip, causing him to inhale deeply.

"So sensitive," she purred at him and closed her lips around the head.

"You're going to torture me, aren't you?" he asked, sounding a little apprehensive.

"Are you into that sort of thing?" she released him to ask. "Should we compare kinky lists?"

"Maybe later," he said quickly, but actually thought, _definitely later._

She started working his shaft with her hand, pumping him with just the right pressure in her grip while she licked at his scrotum.

Loki tried to stay relaxed and not let the sensations get the better of him so quickly. It was a difficult task. She was marvelously good at this.

Cami slipped him into her mouth, taking more of his length this time and tantalizing the flesh with her warm saliva and strong tongue as her hand continued to move from his base to her mouth. Then she pulled back, dragging her full, wet lips across every inch to the tip, which she licked before reversing course and reclaiming him again.

Loki was in absolute bliss as she did this over and over again. Then she picked up the pace so her head was bobbing and more of his length was disappearing into her mouth and throat. When he couldn't stand it anymore he started to gently thrust upwards and Cami quickly adjusted to match the movement. She was staring up at Loki with such lust that it quickly pushed him to release.

"Now," he barely managed to say right before his eyes clamped shut, his toes curled and he exploded with a loud moan, losing what felt like a lifetime of tension along with his hot semen down her tight throat. His mind blanked and an overwhelming peace settled over him like he had finally achieved death.

Cami lulled him out of this state of exaggerated euphoria by going after his scars with her insistent kisses and causing small firings in his brain's pain receptors.

"Don't fall asleep," she warned him. "I'm super horny now and the next closest unattached guy, who isn't my brother, is Steve."

Loki opened his eyes and smiled at her playful expression. "I don't think the good Captain would be able to look anyone in the eye for days if you performed like that on him, my dear."

"Oh, so you liked it," Cami said with a touch of sarcasm. "I thought you might have since you almost fainted."

"I did not almost faint," he insisted, feeling a little irked by the accusation.

"You got pretty relaxed. I thought I might lose you."

Loki decided that he'd better take her teasing in the manner it was intended, which he was fairly certain was to boost her own confidence, not attack his own.

He admitted, "You were glorious."

Cami appeared to appreciate the compliment even if she was still in a mood.

"Am I being a brat?" she asked, softening her tone a little and shifting forward on his chest.

"Yes, but you're my brat, and I..." He hesitated, realizing that the word 'love' was right on the tip of his tongue and was likely to be followed by the word 'you' and he didn't know if he should say that to her, when even he still questioned and pondered aspects of their relationship.

"You what?" she asked, still being playful.

He couldn't seem to bring order to his thoughts, but didn't want to leave her waiting too long. "I... forgive you for teasing me."

She smirked at him. "Hey, if you want to get me back, I have a particular spot where you can tease me all you want."

Loki laughed heartily. "My dear, that was far from subtle."

"Sometimes bold and blunt is better," Cami said. She laid into him with desperate, hot kisses, offering her breasts for his touches and stroking him until he was soon hard again.

Loki rolled over and retrieved the box of condoms from the nightstand. He ripped open the box, separated out one blue packet and left the rest on the stand.

"Want me to help?" Cami offered as he opened the packet.

"I have the situation well in hand," he assured Cami, making her chuckle - even if he hadn't purposely tried to be funny.

He completed the application and took a few moments to let himself enjoy Cami's beautifully-toned body before drawing near again, watching her for signs of just how she preferred to do this. At this point, he would deny her nothing she wanted.

Cami snuggled up against him, looking more sentimental than he'd expected after the teasing. "I know our bodies don't exactly match up cause I'm short and you're so tall, but I kinda like being close during."

Loki took in the space available to them, then gripped Cami at the hips and pulled her more toward the center of the bed. He wanted to avoid accidentally hitting his head into the wall.

Cami flattened out on her back, and Loki slipped a pillow under her hips then positioned himself between her thighs. He asked if she was comfortable, to which she replied that she was.

With Loki's initial strokes, he slid his length along her folds, collecting her lubrication and feeling her tremble and jump while she bit anxiously at her lip. Then he touched against her entrance, pushing forward. At first her petite body resisted, but with some added force he slipped in, causing Cami to momentarily tense up.

Loki froze while she took in some deep breaths. He was feeling a little guilty that he hadn't taken the time to prepare her properly. A tongue was far from adequate when she hadn't been with anyone for so long.

He found the best position for his legs before lying down so they could be close like she'd wanted. He did have to tilt his head and arch his back some so he could get a decent view of her features. When she relaxed again, Loki started to move, establishing a slow rhythm, but with a variance of shallow and deeper thrusts.

Cami held him gently, lightly rubbing at his back while she nuzzled his shoulder and made little noises of appreciation that made him smile.

He remembered that she'd said she might not last very long, so he tried to stay aware of her breathing, body tension and responding touches as he gradually increased the speed of his thrusts. Occasionally, he would surprise her by going slower, faster, deeper or less deep than he had been with the previous strokes, which effectively teased and escalated her building arousal in turn.

Even through the latex condom, the building friction and heat was wonderfully effective on him too. So, when he felt her arms tighten around him and she was panting desperately, Loki responded by shifting his position just enough to change the angle of penetration to better stimulate her while he picked up the pace and force of his thrusts.

Cami gasped and started to buck her hips up to meet him. "Are you close?" she asked, tilting her head back to look at him. There was a beautiful, healthy sheen of sweat on her cheeks and forehead.

"I'll come with you," he panted, hardly able to speak with the tremendous sensations they were creating together. He hoped he would be able to hold out. "Warn me."

"Soon," she said, and gave a little whimper. "Very soon."

The moment came within seconds with Cami screaming his name and him moaning something that almost sounded like hers as their bodies lurched then slowly broke down into shudders. Cami wrapped her legs around Loki and begged him to remain in as long as he could through the aftershocks of her orgasm.

He held her, admiring how innocent and alluring she looked, even with her damp, tousled hair and flushed cheeks and their mixed scents thick in the air.

"We don't want the condom to slip off," he finally told her, gently breaking the hold so he could withdraw from her and dispose of the 'evidence'.

When he returned to the bed, Cami turned on her side, cuddling up to him as he smoothed her hair and kissed her drooping eyelids. "Are you alright?" he asked tentatively.

"I'm sleepy and satisfied," she said with a smile, but didn't open her eyes. "Are you sure you weren't the God of Sex instead of Mischief?" she asked.

_You're absolutely adorable, _his mind wanted to tell her, but his actual, tired response was simply, "I'm sure."

Cami dozed off immediately. Loki managed to pull a couple layers of covers up over them before he drifted off too.


	24. Chapter 24

A million thanks to my wonderful reviewers, followers and muses.

Once again, I am compelled to apologize for the long wait in posting an update to the story. I agonized over this chapter, picking it apart and almost giving up on it completely. Perhaps there are emotions or intentions that I cannot capture in just the way I want with my limited vocabulary, but in all honesty, emotions are running a bit too high for my family right now anyway. So, I will draw enjoyment from the tidbits of this chapter that make me smile, laugh or want to cry and leave it at that.

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty-Four:

When Clint was awakened by screams and moans from down the hall, he realized it had been stupid for him to choose a room remotely close to his sister and her boyfriend. He glanced at the digital alarm clock and saw that it was early. Since his internal system was thrown off by the time change, he wasn't sure if he could go back to sleep or not. He pulled a pillow over his head, attempting to clear his mind and relax, but ultimately realized after several minutes that it was futile. So, he left the bed, pulled some items from his bags and headed for the bathroom to take a shower.

Natasha's clear toiletries bag was resting on the counter. Clint could see her bottle of perfume tucked in with the diverse selection of beautification products, and he grinned at the memory of how great she had smelled at the party.

He used the facilities, undressed and stepped into the shower, thinking about the awkwardness during the drive from the consulate to the hotel the previous night. Natasha had climbed into the adjacent seat, but avoided looking at him. Then she pulled the same act for the ride to the rental house, suspiciously keeping her gaze averted as she took in the city outside the van's darkened windows.

Clint needed to talk to Natasha, though he had nothing prepared. He just knew he had to set it right somehow and that meant getting her attention before she left for Greece that night and when they weren't surrounded by people. Maybe it wouldn't be completely impossible if she didn't actively hide from him.

Clint didn't linger in the shower. He felt rushed and anxious even though he was technically on vacation leave for the day and should be relaxing.

As he padded back toward his room, Clint spotted Natasha's bedroom door ajar and the light was on. He approached, then knocked softly.

"Come in."

He peeked inside to find Natasha was standing at the window beyond the bed. She was wearing a silky red robe and calmly running a brush through her curls. She didn't even look his way as she said, "They woke you too, huh?"

Clint entered and shut the door. Hints of embarrassment warmed his face, making it even harder to talk with his own desires so close to the surface.

"Yeah," was all he managed to say.

When she didn't continue, Clint had to consider his options. Finally, he said, "I think I should apologize."

Natasha lowered the hairbrush, but didn't turn away from the window. She answered with a soft, "No."

"You've got to let me do something, Nat," Clint insisted. "I don't like this tension, and I know it's my fault. I'm really sor..."

"Shush," she interrupted, suddenly turning his way. Though she hadn't raised her voice, she still sounded angry.

Clint fell silent. He wasn't hurt or offended as much as stunned.

Natasha came within a few feet of him and tossed her hairbrush on the bed. "You caught me off guard at the party. So what? Good for you."

Clint was frustrated that she was reacting this way. It compounded his guilt. "Nat..."

"Wait until I'm finished," she softly demanded. "How did you know... that I wore the dress for you?"

_Wait. _Clint thought, _She really did wear it for me?_

"You know I like purple," Clint stammered, unsure what more he could say.

"I have plenty of purple stuff in my wardrobe. Why ask me that last night?"

Her eyes and features were so active with emotion that Clint knew he could get buried in the effort to dig himself out of this hole. Plus, she had the potential to seriously hurt him if she wanted.

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do. You're not quite good enough to lie to me."

Clint was desperate for the right words to fix everything, but none appeared. So, he had no choice, but to speak the truth and accept the consequences. "I wanted it to be true," he said, trying not to chicken out and break eye contact with her. His stomach tightened, adding to his discomfort while she stood silently considering him.

She asked him firmly, "You do know that Cami, Loki and your buddies have been manipulating you, right?"

Clint had no idea what she was talking about, but just the thought of what she was suggesting put him on edge. "I guess not," he said gruffly.

Natasha's tone had softened by the time she spoke next. "Cami's been very curious about our relationship since she arrived. She wants us together, and you know how she can be when she wants something."

He felt foolish and angry to be on the spot like this and so ill-prepared to defend himself.

Clint said, "You've been on my mind lately. Too much, in fact, and now you tell me that my sister has come up with an elaborate plot to bring us together."

"Considering how effective their efforts have been," she said, "I bet Loki was the mastermind."

Clint huffed and looked down, noticing that his hands were clenching into fists. "God, Nat... how long have you known?"

"I've been suspicious for a while," Natasha admitted, also looking a bit unnerved.

Clint shook his head and backed away from her. There was hot emotion expanding in his chest as he asked, "Why didn't you warn me that this was happening?"

Though he'd asked the question, Clint didn't know if he could handle the answer. So, he actually turned away and gripped the doorknob before he sensed her move up behind him. He looked over his shoulder, feeling the softness and warmth of each fingertip as she lightly touched his bared back.

"We've been friends a long time. Obviously, I didn't like that you were being deceived," Natasha said, her voice and gaze full of conflicting emotion.

"If I can't trust my partner, sister or friends to have my back, well... I give up."

Natasha whipped around him, pushing the door shut as Clint started to open it.

"I wanted it to be true," she confessed with wide, fearful eyes, borrowing his own words.

Clint stared intensely at her.

Natasha was attempting a brave face, but Clint could see that her emotions sabotaged her efforts. "I don't want to be just friends anymore," she said. "I kept looking for clues that you might feel the same way, but... you're so damn distracted by Cami and missions and a million other things. Of course I let them try their plan, because I had to know."

Clint's mind was slow to compute. Her words played over and over in his mind as memories and feelings about her flooded in to add to the confusing mix. Why he thought he could feel her warm flesh or the softness of her hair when his hands weren't on her, was disorienting and vexing. He could also smell the scents of her rose perfume, favorite shampoo and body lotion too strongly in his nostrils.

"Please say something," Natasha said, appearing so vulnerable and afraid that she almost didn't look like herself.

Thoughts and sensory data overloaded Clint to the point that he couldn't form words. He released the knob, snatched Natasha around the waist and pulled her against him. He took hold of her at the back of her delicate neck with his other hand and pressed his mouth urgently to hers.

He felt Natasha quickly respond, injecting her own desire into their kiss as she grabbed and held him eagerly with both arms.

"I want you so bad," Clint whispered in her ear as he went after her throat and neck with his kisses.

Then Natasha suddenly let go of him and tried to pull back. "Wait. We can't get carried away," she said in a near panic.

"What?" Clint tightened his grip on her and growled with lustful agitation. "Now you want to stop?"

"The whole house could hear us."

Clint backed Natasha up to the door, attacking her mouth between quick exchanges. "It's OK. We'll work it out," he promised.

He felt her arms slide up under his and gently push at him as she squirmed. "Clint, I'm not on any birth control. Please?"

Clint refused to release her, so he shouldn't have been so surprised when Natasha decided to resort to dirty tactics. She tickled him along his ribs, having no doubt discovered this sensitive spot years ago and stored the tidbit away in her memory for a moment such as this. As soon as his grip broke, she ducked away, taking refuge on the other side of the room.

Clint was irked by this underhanded maneuver, but also realized that she could have done far worse to him. "You are a tease," he accused, leaning back on the door and inhaling deeply to help even out his breathing.

"We're too smart to give in haphazardly to lust," she said, seeming to be convincing herself while she tried it on him.

_This isn't happening,_ Clint thought in dismay. His whole body ached for her, not just in his groin.

"Naaaaat," he whined softly, sliding down the door until he was sitting on the floor, "how can you do this to me?"

She took a step toward him, then stopped, obviously not trusting herself to get too close. "I'm sorry," she said desperately and chose to sit down too, tucking her legs underneath her. "If I'd thought... I would have been prepared."

The torture dragged on with neither of them speaking, only panting and staring. Natasha wiped tears of frustration from her expressive green eyes.

Clint was fresh from the shower, yet sweaty now like he was going through a forced detox and Natasha was his drug of choice.

"I stopped carrying condoms a while ago," Clint admitted quietly when he felt more in control. "Didn't see the point, I guess."

Nat nodded, seeming to understand exactly what he meant.

"The minute we do this, you know it's going to be all over S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers," she told him with a sad and worried expression.

Clint was uncertain as he asked, "Do you want to back down and never speak of it again?"

"No, of course not."

He was relieved that she had been so quick and decisive with her response.

"We'll be in town all day, then you leave for Greece tonight. What am I going to do?"

"Why not come with me?" she suggested. "Let Loki and Cami watch over themselves for a while."

Clint instantly chuckled. "Why do we watch them so closely anyway?"

Nat shrugged and asked, "Did you hear the first thing I said?"

"Yeah. At least, I think so."

"I asked you to come with me to Santorini."

"There's no way I can refuse that offer, but you have to clear it through Maria and Nick for me. That is one conversation I want to avoid."

She seemed to relax then. "Deal."

Clint climbed to his feet, feeling overwhelmed emotionally, yet mentally disconnected and physically tired as he opened the bedroom door.

"Another shower?" Natasha asked knowingly.

"Yeah. Gotta clear my head." He did look longingly back at her and her disheveled appearance before shutting the door behind him.

* * *

The second time Cami woke Loki that morning, she rushed off soon after to shower while he lounged in bed, listening to the sounds of people moving about the house. He realized he would have to find a way to endure or avoid the discomfort of Thor's company as well as deal with such a large group dynamic over extended hours in unfamiliar territory. Surely the day would be nothing short of terrible for him.

When Cami returned, she sent Loki to take his own shower, which he could have drawn out for a while to waste more of the morning, but he could tell from the collection of toiletries on the counter that they were not the only ones using this particular bathroom.

When he got back to their room, Cami was straightening up the bed and their discarded clothes, having already dressed in a casual white blouse, dark blue jeans and what she called her walking shoes.

"Is that how everyone will be dressed?" Loki asked her, opening his suitcase and inspecting the clothes Steve had packed for him. Clint had provided Loki with casual Midgardian clothes back at the helicarrier, but he always wore his uniforms when not in sleeping attire.

"Yes," Cami said. "You've got jeans in there right?" She walked over to the bed to peek in his suitcase.

"The material is strange," Loki said, hinting with his tone that he wasn't likely to wear the jeans.

"OK. Whatever makes you comfortable since we'll be out and about most of the day, I think."

Cami turned back to the mirror, frowning at her reflection. "I'm going to find someone to braid my hair before breakfast. It's driving me crazy."

Loki contemplated his options as she departed. His less-than-eager attitude about the day's prospects was hindering him from deciding what he was going to wear. In a way, he was protesting simply through his inaction.

Finally, Loki pulled on his black uniform pants and shoes, a white t-shirt and a gray lightweight jacket to hide the scars on his arms. He also grabbed his wallet that Steve had the foresight to pack for him.

He took a moment to look himself over in the mirror. He would pass inspection, but didn't really like the jacket. He missed the weight and style of his old leather garments, which would likely look out of place anywhere in Midgard.

Loki used his agitation to bolster enough courage to make the trek to the kitchen. He walked down the hall to the sunroom, where he found Steve and Maria enjoying the view while they talked quietly. Steve offered him polite greetings as Loki passed through, which he acknowledged with a nod, realizing that he probably looked as unhappy as he felt.

Even from the top of the spiral staircase, he could hear conversations in the kitchen below. He descended the stairs to find Cami, Jane and Pepper were managing the food preparation while the others chatted at the nearby table. Natasha was notably absent.

Loki didn't think he'd be much help with the food and he didn't feel like joining the group at the table. When Thor looked up, noticing his arrival, Loki chose to continue out the back door to the large deck, taking the ramp down to stand at the edge of the sand.

He heard soft footfalls in pursuit.

"Please don't," Cami pleaded gently, walking down to stand beside him.

Loki didn't turn her way. Even the energy it would take to feign a smile was more than he was willing to offer right then. "Don't what?" he asked.

"You saw Thor and immediately walked away," Cami said. "Give him a chance. He's your brother."

"In fact, he's not," Loki said heatedly. "Really, you should stop calling any of them my family."

When he peeked at her, Cami's features had tightened. She swallowed hard before she looked down, dropping her chin almost to her chest.

Her wounded expression further frustrated him because it seemed so unfair and manipulative that she could rebuke him so effectively without saying a word.

Cami spoke softly. "You are punishing them and yourself because your family situation isn't perfect," she said. "They love you, even when you hurt them."

"You don't understand," Loki said, sounding harsh.

"Odin and Frigga chose to take you in and raise you as their son. No family ever chose to keep me," she said sorrowfully. "So, no... I don't completely understand."

Cami turned, walking briskly away along the beach.

_Damn._

Loki's heart felt heavy as he stared out over the sand at the water of the gulf and the sunrise beyond.

"Want me to go after her?" Natasha asked, startling him as she approached from the opposite side. She was strolling barefoot, carrying her sandals by the straps.

"I don't know," he admitted. "I suppose you heard."

"Yeah. Sorry; I..."

"It doesn't matter," Loki interrupted. It wasn't Natasha's fault that he'd failed to notice her nearby.

Natasha held up her free hand to block the sun from her eyes. "Cami has unreasonable expectations sometimes. You don't have to force a relationship with Thor just to make her happy. Go ahead and hate him if you really feel that way."

Hate. Love. The two were not mutually exclusive, no matter how much Loki wanted to believe that notion when it came to Thor.

Cami had made it so far down the beach already that she almost appeared to be a small child, which brought to mind her youth. "I will probably apologize," Loki said.

"Up to you." Nat stepped onto the ramp, but reached out to lightly grip his arm. "Nothing about her childhood is your fault."

"I realize that," he admitted softly.

"Let me know if you need backup. I've been dealing with her moods for a while now and Clint can help too."

Loki nodded. He did appreciate her offer.

"Oh, and if you choose not to come today, I'll understand," Natasha added. "Even I'm intimidated by what Tony considers a 'small' gathering of friends."

Loki realized that she had just confessed at least one reason for her solitary walk. He stood there, watching her slowly approach the house until she finally disappeared inside to the crowded kitchen.

Cami was sitting in the sand as Loki walked up and settled beside her. Because her hair was braided, she couldn't hide that she had been crying so easily this time.

She said after awhile, "I should not have made this about me."

He chose not to respond, though she gave him ample time to do so.

Cami leaned close, resting against his shoulder. "Thor is proud of how hard you've worked at S.H.I.E.L.D. Why can't he have a chance to tell you so?"

Loki saw truth in her features, even if it was only her own belief. Of course, Cami's words did not magically heal the anger and aching inside of him or wash away painful memories that he could recall with such clarity after so many centuries.

Loki said, "Even if that's true, I can't just turn these feelings off."

"I get that. I really do, but Thor isn't here to torment you. He and Jane were invited to the party. Tonight or tomorrow he'll be gone," she said, appearing to sadden even more.

"I didn't realize you and Thor were such good friends now," Loki said softly. "Perhaps that will make me even more jealous."

Cami took his hand in hers and kissed it tenderly. "I'm yours... always."

She said it so sincerely that he could not doubt her, and didn't want to.

Cami sat there with him for a long while before she climbed to her feet and offered him a hand up. "Come on," she said. "You're probably as hungry as I am."

Loki stood, dusting the sand off his pants.

"What can I do to make today easier?" Cami asked, pulling him along.

"Could you be suggesting a bribe?" he asked, with a stir of interest.

She smiled widely. "Well... I guess, if that's what it's going to take to keep you sociable today. Do you have something in mind?"

"Leather," Loki said without hesitation. "Something black. A coat perhaps, because I don't like this one."

Cami giggled. "OK. I've heard Italy is a great place for leather jackets. It's probably going to be a bit expensive though."

"What else am I to spend my wages on?" he asked. "S.H.I.E.L.D. has provided everything I've needed thus far."

Cami continued to laugh at him as she said, "Alright. Mission accepted. We'll hunt down a black leather jacket for you while we're out. I know Pepper and Jane were both stoked about shopping. I'm sure we'll see our fair share of stores today."

The group was eating and discussing plans when Loki and Cami returned to the kitchen. Two seats had been saved at the end of the table between Natasha and Pepper. People started passing the food as they sat down.

Loki tried to keep his gaze on his plate or on those seated closest to him. By doing this, he didn't actually see Thor near the far end of the long table.

"I think we should split up," Steve said. "Between Thor and Tony, we're bound to get recognized by someone. We could inadvertently blow the covers of the field agents if people start taking pictures of the group."

"Steve's right," Maria agreed. "Why Fury let you guys do this, I don't know, but..."

"Oh, come on," Tony said, sounding irked, "Who is going to recognize Thor wearing blue jeans and a t-shirt?"

"The first time one of us calls out his name bystanders will clue in pretty quick," Steve argued.

"I think you're a little paranoid," Tony said. "Thor is a common enough name in some countries."

Maria leveled Tony with a hard look. "Not in Italy. I think he'll have to use his alias today. Thor and Loki both."

"Alias?" Jane said with confusion.

"Donald Blake," Maria said.

"You still use my ex-boyfriend's name as your alias?" Jane asked. Her agitation was evident. "I refuse to call you Donald or Donny all day. I'm likely to develop a complex."

Natasha asked, "What about you, Tony? Have you got a plan?"

Tony gestured to himself, "Why do I need a plan?"

"Gee, I wonder..." Natasha said shrewdly, cocking her head and slipping a bite of her fruit-filled crepe into her mouth.

"You do tend to draw attention to yourself," Clint said to Tony, pointing toward the glow visible through his shirt.

"You're going to need to wear something heavier weight over that and maybe a hat or something," Pepper said. "An alias might be necessary too."

Mike joked, "If half the group is using aliases, I am going to need a cheat sheet to keep track."

"Maybe we should just avoid using names all together then," Natasha suggested. "No one's cover gets blown that way."

Loki was listening to all this as he ate, already convinced that the day out together was bound to be a complete failure, with or without his contributions.

He noted a spark of mischievousness in Clint's eyes as the archer blatantly stole a gulp of Natasha's coffee. She in turn issued a silent threat with her eyes while grasping her butter knife in a menacing manner.

Loki turned his head toward Cami, glancing to see if she'd noticed this behavior. Apparently she had because there was a hint of a smile in the corner of her mouth as she sipped her own coffee.

Their hired guides arrived at the house a short time later to take them to see the Duomo and the Basilica di Santa Restituta, where the group gaped in awe at the gothic architecture, historical statues and busts, as well as colorful frescoes and other figurative artwork.

Loki did not share such a strong fascination with the old cathedral as others in the group. He assumed that mortals were drawn to things and places that predated themselves as if a connection could be made to times long passed. Perhaps he did not feel the significance of this place because he was older than it. Though, in all honesty, there was a lot about Midgard, its religions and history that had consistently failed to interest him through the centuries.

To fend off his boredom, Loki stealthily studied Clint and Natasha through most of the tour. They were noticeably uncertain standing together, yet more attentive and playful than usual.

"I do believe something has happened with those two," Loki whispered slyly to Cami as they followed the group out to the bus afterwards.

"Does it seem like they are both taunting AND avoiding each other?" Cami asked.

"That's an interesting description," Loki admitted. "It certainly appears that they could be doing just that."

Clint and Natasha continued to act oddly as the group visited two different museums to see more art and then archeological discoveries.

Again, Loki had little interest in the tour material. He was actually beginning to wonder if the promise of a leather jacket was worth this complete waste of his time. He was regretting that he hadn't tried to talk Cami into staying in bed with him all day instead.

"Thank you," Cami said as she appeared out of nowhere to snuggle up to his side.

He wrapped his arm around her. "For what, my dear?" Loki puzzled.

"I can tell you are IMMENSELY bored, yet you haven't complained at all," she said. "I think we're going to lunch next then on to shopping."

He nodded.

"I've decided that we were louder than I realized this morning," she said with a naughty grin, "and everyone's trying not to let on that we woke them up at that ungodly hour."

Loki smiled and smoothed down some wisps of hair that had escaped from her braid. "Privacy is a precious commodity," he muttered.

It wasn't long before Tony started herding the group together to leave. He gestured for Loki and Cami to come over whilst referring to them as Thumper and Bambi, two names which meant nothing to Loki, but caused Cami to glare at Tony in return.

"Thumper and Bambi are cute and innocent cartoon character animals. Though, I'm sure he is using their names in this case as sexual references," Cami told Loki as they moved toward the group.

The restaurant where they ate was a small, family-owned establishment, which their guides assured them was between two of the better, yet less frequented, shopping areas by tourists. Tony enthusiastically insisted on ordering more than half the menu, which caused chaos for the staff and prompted the owner to lock his doors so their private gathering wouldn't be disturbed.

Much like the grand feasts of Asgard, tray after tray of food was paraded out of the kitchen at regular intervals as the group ate their way through mountains of bread, pasta, meats and cheeses in delicious combinations that had Loki consuming nearly as much food as Thor or Steve were managing to put away.

"Loki, I've never seen you eat this much," Cami said with concern.

His mouth was full at the time or Loki would have responded to her. Instead, Thor beat him to it.

Thor said with a wide grin that appeared to be more comical than contemptuous, "Don't worry, Cami. Loki was raised in Asgard and there is little more our people do better than eat."

"Oh, I remember," Cami said adamantly. She gestured to the food that was yet to be touched. "I think we could use Volstagg's help about now."

Loki nearly choked, unable to contain his urge to laugh along with Thor and Sif.

The owner approached, asking if anyone wanted dessert. Groans caused by overindulgence immediately arose from the majority of their group members up and down the long table.

Tony and the owner walked off to settle the tab while everyone else collected their things and wandered outside to enjoy the fresh air and spring weather.

There were some women and their children seated across the way. The assemblage included much younger children too, and it didn't take long for Pepper to start fawning over them and insist that some of the others come admire the dark-haired darlings as well.

"Oh dear," Loki said softly when Cami's attention was also drawn that direction. "You do realize they're only cute for so long."

"I bet if you raise them right, they'll seem cute forever," she said in a mildly challenging tone. "I like kids, even if you don't."

It wasn't that Loki didn't like children. They just required so much attention and effort, which were two things that he had never excelled at much. His own children were especially known for being troublesome.

Loki was considering if he should breach the topic of his children with Cami or not when she suddenly called over Stefano, one of their guides and the limo driver from the previous evening, and asked him about good stores to shop for a leather jacket.

It became readily apparent that the group was splitting up to do their shopping. So, they decided on a time and place to meet back before everyone dispersed.

Loki was grateful to have some time alone with Cami as they strolled casually south and then west for a while, following the directions Stefano had given them to find the shop of one of his close friends who specialized in leather goods.

There were some small groups of other tourists moving between the shops, but they were too engrossed in their own Naples' experience to pay much heed to them.

Cami spotted the leather shop's sign and eagerly pulled Loki forward. As they stepped in, Loki noted that the inside of the shop smelled wonderfully of treated leather. He had to assume that similar chemicals were used both in Midgard and Asgard for the process as the smell was all too familiar and hauntingly comforting.

The owner, a man in his sixties, stepped out of the back to assist them. He showed them his varied selection of stylish jackets, encouraging Loki to try on as many as he wanted. There was no need to do this, however, as Loki spotted the style he wanted right away and only tried on a couple before he found the right size for him.

"Oooh, sexy," Cami openly flirted.

Loki winked back at her, then reluctantly gave up the coat so the owner could bag it. At the register, Loki dispensed nearly every dollar in his wallet to secure the payment.

"Happy?" Cami asked as they walked out of the shop.

"Very," was Loki's cool reply.

"Let's head toward the bus. Maybe we'll run into someone who'll have some clippers or something we can use to take the tags off."

They had only begun the walk back when Cami unexpectedly halted. "Ummm..." Loki could see apprehension and confusion settling into her features as she looked at him. "I just remembered..." Again she had difficulty completing her thought.

"What is it?" he asked, leaning closer.

Then he quickly felt and knew what she was failing to express, for the memories simply popped into his mind, immense and detailed blocks of time and facts that seemed to stretch and strain his consciousness and intellect to the point of aching.

"Oh no," Loki said with dread, trying to do a form of mental triage on the images, emotions and sensations that flooded into him. "We should not be alone. Let us find the others quickly."

* * *

For Clint, this was the day that never ended. They were in a clothing store and Natasha was in the dressing room, trying on outfits. To distract from boredom, Clint was already thinking of the waiting villa on the beach in Santorini.

An ashen-faced Tony knocked on the window behind Clint, grabbing his attention. The billionaire had a cellphone up to his ear and gestured urgently for Clint to come outside.

"Nat, something's up," he called back to the dressing area. "I'm heading out." He gave the other customers little thought as their curious looks followed him.

Steve and Maria had joined Tony too as Clint walked up. Tony handed his cellphone to Maria, indicating there was someone waiting to speak with her on it and pulled Clint aside. "God... I don't know how to say this," he began, forcing eye contact. His dark brown eyes were conflicted and sorrowful. "Fury just reported that they found blood and traces of organ, skin and muscle tissue in Loki's room back at the carrier," Tony told him. "Forensics checked everything twice..."

Clint was speaking before most of what Tony said had time to sink in. "Blood from whom?"

"It's Cami."

"No," Clint said. He took a step back. "They're wrong. Cami's fine. She's..."

"The doctors are fairly certain she couldn't have survived an attack like this without immediate medical attention."

Pop. A memory overtook him - an event that he'd forgotten completely.

"_Are you so sure you want to get involved in this?" the Bad Loki had asked, rising from a crouch to his full impressive height. "I'm not quite the same as when we parted last. This is an entirely new game with much more powerful tricks."_

"_Oh, I don't doubt it," Clint had countered, purposely keeping his gaze from wandering to the bound and naked Loki on the tiled, shower room floor, "but he's my responsibility and I just can't stand by and let you hurt him."_

Clint shook his head, attempting to clear his mind as more memories surfaced. A strong, yet hesitant hand touched his shoulder and it took great willpower to dismiss the influx of information and turn his head to see it was Natasha.

"We left her alone in the suite," Natasha uttered in disbelief, her lip quivering. "How could we forget to protect her?"

"The other Loki has been playing us all," Steve said stiffly. "I thought something was wrong. Cami didn't look right when we went to pick her up, but I didn't see any blood."

"Obviously the Bad Loki hides what he doesn't want us to see or remember," Tony said softly.

"Is this Cami a double too?" Maria asked as she ended the phone call. "Or the Bad Loki in disguise?"

Clint clenched his teeth and tried to think back over every interaction with Cami since she'd showed up in Naples. At the consulate she'd only danced the one waltz, though he knew she loved dancing. She'd been in such a hurry to get Loki alone and away from everyone else. At the hotel, only she had been able to wake Loki, which hinted at magical involvement.

_Is my sister really dead?_ he pondered, feeling a crushing weight at his core and an instant throb in his head.

"How can the doctors be so sure? They didn't find her body, right?" he asked in a strained whisper.

Tony said firmly, yet with some sense to try and be delicate, "Clint, forensics says she would have sustained massive internal damage. It would have taken a miracle..."

"We've got to find our Loki. He could be dead by now," Steve interjected. "Which direction did they go?"

Maria spotted Mike and Sif coming out of a shop that sold specialty chocolates. "Get everyone together," she ordered, waving the couple over as she caught their attention.

"I'm an idiot," Stark said suddenly. "I left my suit on the plane."

Maria pointed out, "None of us have any weapons or communicators. Even Thor left Mjolnir back at the house. Bad Loki duped us into a false sense of security."

"I've got to find Thor," Stark said. He took off running, heading north, but called back over his shoulder, "Protect Pepper!"

Steve went to find her.

"Oh God, Nat," Clint said with a shudder. He looked skyward, blinking back tears and trying to be stoic like his superiors would expect of a senior agent. His voice was full of emotion. "What am I going to do?"

"You're going to kill him."


	25. Chapter 25

My father was a hardworking man of integrity who often volunteered his time and skills to help others. So, in loving memory, I delayed the writing of this chapter so that I could honor his passing through service to my family and management of his affairs.

Thank you for your understanding.

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty-Five:

* * *

Loki kept his gaze moving as they backtracked through the small shopping district. With the Bad Loki's shapeshifting and cloaking abilities, he could be hiding anywhere.

"Why do we remember?" Cami asked, staying close to him as they sprinted.

"It's probably more fun for him."

"What do he and Jahla want? They could have killed us already."

"No. He can't kill me, nor I him, without us both dying."

Cami grabbed Loki's hand, dragging him to a stop. Perhaps it was because she was so frightened that she instantly became angry. "That's a pretty important thing to keep secret. What else haven't you told me?"

He chose not to raise his voice to her because she was no doubt dealing with her own terrible memories. "I am not attempting to avoid your questions, my dear. Anything I tell you now will just have to be repeated later with the others."

"Of course you would be all logical right now while I'm freaking out."

Thunder rumbled to the distant north of them. Loki lifted his gaze expectantly.

"Thor?" Cami asked, also searching the sky.

What started as two blurs of color streaking toward them, turned out to be Thor and Tony in their battlegear. The men landed on flanking sides of him and Cami, and Loki astutely realized that Thor's expression was more apprehensive than relieved as he gripped Mjolnir.

"Did you two get your memories back too?" Cami immediately asked them.

"Yeah, we did," Tony said with a noticeable edge to his voice. "JARVIS, relay our position to Agent Hill, please."

"Yes, sir."

"What's wrong?" Loki asked softly, turning to look between the emotionless face plate of the Iron Man suit and Thor, who was raptly watching Cami.

"The group will be here any second," Tony said stiffly. "We've got some things to talk about - strategy, you know."

"People are watching us," Cami informed the men, eyeing the crowds of people that were slowly gathering to get a better look at the two Avengers.

Loki suggested discretely, "Maybe we should head back to the house."

"Let's see what Hill has in mind," Tony said.

There was far too much tension in the air, which stirred a foreboding feeling within Loki. He rapidly came to realize that Tony and Thor had not been sent out to protect as much as to detain them, and the worry building on Cami's features only added to Loki's apprehension.

The tour bus came into view, but stopped about a half-block away. Steve and their S.H.I.E.L.D. counterparts exited the vehicle and hurried forward to take position around them too.

"Clint, what's happening?" Cami called out, sounding even more nervous than she appeared.

Clint's expression hardened as he hesitated, shifting his gaze to Agent Hill.

Maria appeared to see, but chose to ignore Clint's look. Instead, she addressed Loki in a serious tone. "Are you familiar with a Level Two Security Identification Protocol?"

"Yes," Loki said. He'd memorized nearly every security protocol S.H.I.E.L.D. had on the books.

"Good. Then identify yourself."

Loki took in the group momentarily before focusing on Maria. He kept his answer concise as she wasn't asking for all that much information really. "I am Trainee Thomas Murphy, an intelligence analyst and field operative for the Mischief Makers. I am under the command of Clint Barton and Natasha Romanoff."

"And your authorization code?"

"2, Echo, 1, 6, Papa."

"Confirmed," JARVIS announced.

Maria nodded, but her expression changed very little. She ordered, "Agent Romanoff, kindly escort him to the bus," then turned her stern gaze on Cami next.

Loki held out his hand, stopping Natasha as she stepped closer. "What is happening?"

"Agent Murphy, you are ordered to accompany your supervisor to the bus," Maria answered coldly. "Agent Romanoff will brief you on the situation."

Clint said firmly, "Don't make this worse."

Cami actually appeared to tremble just a bit under Maria's intense stare. She nodded at Loki, encouraging him to follow the order.

Natasha took his bag with the leather jacket, waving for him to come with her. Loki complied, but cast a long look over his shoulder as the others tightened up their ranks around Cami.

Natasha's features paled a bit as she began with, "We got a call from Fury."

* * *

Cami realized as Loki walked away with Natasha that she felt scared and alone. Her mind was shifting between the harsh glares of those around her to the horrific memories of what had happened to her at the hands of the Bad Loki. She'd been alone then too, with no one to help her. This seemed worse somehow because she'd come to trust most of these people to some degree or another.

"What did I do?" Cami asked, aiming the question more toward her brother who she could barely see standing behind Maria and Steve.

Maria snapped at her, "Identify yourself."

"Trainee Camille Barton." Cami tried to swallow the lump in her throat and breathe despite her tightening chest. "I currently have no position in S.H.I.E.L.D. or a team," she admitted with a twinge of hurtful humiliation.

"What is your training team number?"

_Oh, God. I was supposed to memorize that? _Cami thought.

"I don't know. My authorization code is Tango, 5, 5, 7, 3."

JARVIS interjected factually, "According to the S.H.I.E.L.D. security database, that code has been compromised."

"That's right," Maria said. "You used that code in New Mexico. What's your new code?"

"I haven't changed it with the security office," Cami said. She bit at her lip. "I've never had to change the code before."

"Convenient," Maria said. "Let's stop with the games already. We have strong evidence that indicates Cami Barton is dead. So, who are you really?"

_I'm dead? Shit! _

"I AM Cami," she insisted desperately.

"We know you're lying," Maria said, getting right in her face. "Tell us who you are."

Cami shook her head, trying to focus, but images of the attack on her in Loki's room were still trying to edge in and grab her attention. It was too much and Cami was pulled deeper into a panic, triggering an odd sensation. It felt like a dense ball of heat had formed and was expanding in her ribcage.

"Sir," JARVIS reported to Tony, "her body temperature is rising significantly, and I am detecting a rapid increase in her bioelectric activity."

Tony pointed his repulsor at her. "Stand down, Small Fry," he warned Cami, "or this gets much less friendly."

Cami cringed, holding her hand against her burning chest and turned toward Clint. "Please?" she begged him, starting to sob. "It's me. Ask me something I can answer."

Clint kept his gaze averted.

The dense ball inside her seemed to crackle and pulse and just then the car alarms and radios of several parked vehicles nearby all went haywire in a blaring ruckus.

Tony powered up his repulsor and everyone around her started to back away. Cami stared at that white light through wet, wide eyes as another, stronger pulse went off inside her, stealing her breath with its intensity and forcing Tony back a step as his suit's power levels sputtered erratically.

Her attention on Tony, Cami didn't see the attack coming. Something or someone struck the side of her head, then Cami's legs were swept out from under her. She crashed to the concrete with a grimace.

"Restrain her!" Agent Hill ordered and a moment later a heavy, immovable weight settled on Cami's chest. She looked up at a cluster of familiar faces then down to see Mjolnir was resting on her. It was yet another reminder of the attack - the feeling of not being able to move.

Maria was issuing more orders, most of which Cami wasn't catching with her focus so divided. She could hear Loki yelling and assumed he was making a scene.

"I don't know what's happening," Cami tried to say, but there was a pounding in her head that made it difficult to tell if she was actually speaking loud enough to be heard. The burning in her chest was slowly abating, leaving her drained.

Between system reports to Tony, JARVIS also informed them that backup agents were on their way.

"Let's get her secured," Steve said, "and clear the area."

Thor pulled his hammer off Cami's chest so Steve could roll her over and bind her hands. Maria got down and gagged Cami with a bandana folded lengthwise.

Cami wondered how she would ever convince them of her true identity if they stopped her from talking. In fact, she couldn't contain the terror of being in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody as a suspected imposter. With no one else seeming to believe her, even Clint, she would have to put her faith in Loki to sort out this mess.

* * *

For the long flight from Naples back to the helicarrier, Loki had said next to nothing, though nearly everyone had attempted to question him about the memories he'd recovered.

Once they landed, Hill grabbed Loki's arm as he tried to follow behind Cami, who was still bound and being escorted by Steve and Thor to the detention area. "You've kept us waiting long enough, Loki," Maria sneered. "It's time to fess up to whatever you're so damn scared of us finding out."

"I don't know to what you are referring," Loki replied. "I've been under his influence as well, remember?"

"Hey," Tony said, stepping up, "we just want to know the truth."

"I started a report on my computer days ago. Fury can get some of the details from that," Loki said bitterly then returned to his silent state while he was marched off to a conference room for a full debriefing.

Nick Fury was reading from a handheld computer when he and Dr. Montoya joined their group.

Now that the proceedings were finally to begin, Loki stopped his agitated pacing and took a seat furthest from the others at the large table.

"I've been skimming Loki's report," Nick said, surveying those gathered. "Since some of you don't have S.H.I.E.L.D. clearance or haven't had time to read the report, we'll have Loki give us the short version. There is a lot to cover and I'm sure people are going to have questions," Nick said.

Loki stared at his pitiful reflection in the metal tabletop as he began. "Many years ago, a Jotun hunting party attacked a Light Elf settlement and captured a young woman who they abused and raped, resulting in Jahla's birth. Mother and daughter were kept as slaves. Jahla only escaped after her mother died."

"That's horrible," Pepper said, reaching to hold Tony's hand.

"I met Jahla when I was in servitude to the Frost Giants. After sharing our grievances, we decided to make an agreement. She was going to find a way to rid me of Odin's spell in exchange for my help in killing all the Jotun."

"I can't believe you agreed to that," Thor grumbled.

"So, what went wrong with your deal?" Natasha asked after a few moments of silence.

"Jahla could dampen the effects of Odin's spell on me for short periods of time, but she could not remove it. She had a plan for us to create a double of me to which she would move the spell indefinitely and therefore return my magic. She was very convincing, and I was too desperate not to believe she could do it."

Loki paused to gather his thoughts, realizing this was going to take longer to explain than he wanted.

"I believe that though she tried, the spell could not be removed. So, Jahla took what she could from me - my magic and shapeshifting abilities. She also divided my soul to bring life to the double. He has all my strengths, immense and increasing power and, yet, very little compassion. Now he does her bidding."

Steve asked, "Did they curse you to keep you quiet?"

"In a way. They also needed my blood for rituals and it is much more potent if obtained through magic."

"You were their prisoner."

"Yes, until Odin rescued me."

Dr. Montoya was scribbling notes, but stopped to say, "Tell us why you tried to kill yourself."

"To kill him, of course. Our souls are bound."

The expressions of those around him quickly turned more sympathetic.

"Did losing part of your soul cause this dramatic change in your personality?" Natasha asked pointedly. "Are you only good because he possesses the bad?"

It wasn't an easy question to answer. Loki was ashamed and uncertain of the words that finally did present themselves. "At times I have believed that is true."

"And other times?" Natasha asked.

"He's so cruel, that I decided I didn't want to be anything like him."

Montoya said, "When you didn't die from the curse, you tried to starve yourself. Obviously, you changed your mind about that tactic. Was the incident in Arizona another attempt at suicide?"

Before Loki could answer, Pepper spoke up. "What incident in Arizona?"

Jane looked equally uninformed.

"He kinda used magic to destroy a snake-thing the Bad Loki summoned from Niflheim," Hopper explained. "He almost died saving Clint's life."

Loki understood that they had their reasons for the large gathering, but really he didn't know if he could take having so many people staring at him and talking.

"The double, who you all refer to as the 'Bad Loki', realized that I would be relentless in my attempts to end his life. So, he went to Niflheim and struck a bargain with my daughter Hel. He promised her something in return for guarding my life, but I have yet to get it out of her."

"You are banished to Midgard. When have you been speaking with Hel?" Thor asked with concern.

"Hel holds a grip on me that I cannot break. When my body rests, my soul is her prisoner in the Underworld. She has sworn to keep this hold on me until the Bad Loki fulfills his promise to her."

"Your report says that Cami was able to pull your consciousness out of Niflheim," Montoya said, "but you do not explain why or how."

"I do not know," Loki admitted. "She plays a part in this that I do not understand. I can tell you that Cami WAS attacked, and the Bad Loki used magic to keep her alive. He wanted to punish me through her for disobeying him."

Fury straightened in his chair. "Do you think the girl we have in custody is really Cami Barton?"

Loki shifted his gaze to stare at the silent, contemplative Clint. Slowly Clint's focus returned from some distant place and he met Loki's eyes with hard features.

"Yes, I do," Loki said with conviction.

Clint shook his head. "You are not going to convince me of that. She was using a power that my sister does not possess."

Loki closed his eyes, letting his head fall forward under the weight of his disappointment in Clint's attitude. _ If there is any chance that Cami is alive, why won't he pursue it? _ Loki thought.

"I can understand the pain you must be feeling, Agent Barton," Nick said respectfully. "We're going to do everything we can to ascertain the truth."

"We are going to need help from Asgard," Loki told them.

"Why is that?" Maria asked, looking somewhat insulted at the suggestion.

"The king and queen will be more capable of getting answers as to her true identity than S.H.I.E.L.D will."

Maria said quickly, "I think we can break her ourselves."

Thor spoke up, "Perhaps, but if it is Cami you hold in your prison, do you want to interrogate and torture her just to reach that conclusion?"

"Of course not," Nick responded immediately.

Steve said, "It also won't hurt to touch base with Odin for suggestions on how to keep Bad Loki out of our heads. We can't afford to be off our guard like that again."

"He mind-fucked all of us," Fury said. There was anger and disbelief in his tone as he admitted, "I actually approved leave for over half the crew. We're still pulling everyone back from the far corners of the globe."

"Is there a way for us to know if he comes on board again?" Natasha asked, directing the question mainly toward Loki.

"He is a shadow mage. Hiding is second nature to him and S.H.I.E.L.D. is not equipped to detect magic."

"Can we be?" Hill asked. She looked to Tony and Jane who were seated in adjacent chairs. "Could we build some sort of detection device?"

Jane's eyes widened. "Thor once told me that science and magic are one-in-the-same, but... I don't know."

Tony leaned back in his chair, thinking deeply. "I am willing to try, but we're going to need resources, a space to work..."

"Done," Fury said firmly.

"And..." Tony added, "I'm going to need Bruce."

Nick nodded his agreement.

"I can arrange a pickup for him," Hill said.

"I will go to Asgard to explain the situation to my parents and return as soon as I can," Thor said.

"What do we do about Cami in the meantime?" Natasha asked. "Can she have visitors?"

"I don't think that's wise," Hill advised Fury, who seemed distracted.

"No. Not right now," the director decided.

"Sir," Loki began to argue, but didn't get to finish.

"That is my decision, Loki," Fury said. "Have some patience and maybe we'll get this all resolved before your head hits the pillow. Get some coffee. Have Dr. Lloyd give you something if needed."

Now Loki's agitation was beyond concealing. "My concern is not about myself. I believe with all my heart that she is our Cami. She has been through a terrible ordeal already and needs us to trust in her. We cannot allow her imprisonment to go on a moment longer."

Maria scoffed. "She hasn't done much to deserve our trust. Cami Barton has always been a self serving troublemaker."

Clint suddenly sat forward in his seat. "That's not fair."

"What? Am I wrong?" Maria challenged. "She's been playing nice to placate you and Natasha. Her pet project earned the director points with the Council, and she's sleeping with Loki now. Everyone's wound around her finger."

"That's harsh," Tony said. "She's a good kid."

Dr. Montoya said, "Whether we like Cami or not shouldn't be the issue. Either she can do the job, or she can't."

"Enough," Fury interrupted. "Let's find out who she is first. Then we'll talk about this. No one sees her for now. Thor, kindly make our request for assistance to your father."

"Right away," Thor said, vacating his seat.

Jane jumped up to walk out with him.

"We are done here. Ms. Potts, Stark, Rogers, walk with me," the director said, waving them out of the conference room.

Loki remained in his seat as the group broke up. Clint lingered, whispering with Natasha before she stepped over to sit beside Loki.

"You have been through a lot," she said, her features softening. "I'd tell you to rest, but..."

"Do not concern yourself with me," Loki said. "Take care of Clint."

"We're your friends," Natasha said. "We are concerned."

Loki nodded, but turned away. His reflection on the metal stared back at him with angry eyes as Nat and Clint also left the room.


	26. Chapter 26

Amazing! There are 200+ followers for this story. I am truly honored.

Loki'sdreamer, featherstone5725, NoVacancyMind, HawkeyeLover and Kathalla, thank you for taking the time to review and share your insights. I wish Avenger and Loki Hugs for each of you! :)

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty-Six:

* * *

Cami laid on the tiny bed with her back pressed up against the wall. She was shielding her eyes from the bright lights above her while she endured a bad migraine and tried to consider her options.

_What if I'm not alone in here?_ she thought, peeking out from under her fingers to take in the cell block. Bad Loki could be hiding, watching and waiting for just the right moment to strike. For Cami, that possibility was as terrifying as any interrogation she could imagine.

"Gary!" Cami called out, knowing Agent Stott could hear her through the main door where he was stationed with the other guards.

"Don't talk to her," one of the other guards warned, but Agent Stott opened the door and walked in far enough for Cami to see him.

"Why isn't anyone coming?"

"You gave them an awful scare," Stott said. "You know they're going to act carefully. Fury has ordered that no one gets in without authorization."

"But... I need someone in here with me. Please?"

He stood in silence, looking conflicted.

"Sir, you can't go in," one of the guards was saying.

"Very well," came Loki's reply from the hallway. "Then I'll just wait here until I CAN enter."

"Hey," the guard said, "don't make us lock you up for being a nuisance."

Cami saw Stott roll his eyes and turn back. "Oh no," he said, teasing the guys, "by-all-means, don't give him exactly what he wants."

"How is she doing?" Loki asked through the doorway.

Stott lowered his voice, but his words still carried back to Cami in the cell. "She doesn't like being in here alone."

"That's understandable," Loki said. "The cell won't protect her. She is actually in more danger from my double by being confined."

Cami felt a sharp stab in her head as Gary activated his communicator.

The tone of his voice became more serious as he said, "This is Agent Stott. I need to speak to Director Fury." After a brief pause to get a response, Gary continued, "Alright, then ask Agent Hill. It's urgent."

Cami climbed off the bed and stood at the bars, straining to see them standing off to her left.

"Yes, Ma'am; I'm on duty down at the detention center, and it's come to my attention that the prisoner should not be left alone. She's open to attack from the Bad Loki. I'm asking permission to post guards on the inside of the cell block as well."

Gary looked over his shoulder, twisting a little bit so he could see Cami. His features didn't change as he listened to the response from Hill.

"Thank you, Ma'am," Gary said then closed the line. He told Loki, "Come on in. We'll let those guys cover that side."

Loki said to Gary as he stepped through the doorway, "Will you get in trouble for this?"

"Nah, I can talk my way out of anything serious. Who doesn't trust this face?" he said, pointing to his own round features, accentuated with a wide smile and warm, brown eyes.

Loki came to her, reaching through the bars to touch her cheek. Cami eagerly cuddled his palm, craving the physical connection.

Gary appeared to appreciate their moment then reopened his com line, causing another quick stab in Cami's head.

"This is Agent Stott; please relay a message to Agent Kotter for me. I am requesting his assistance for guard duty at the cell block."

"Can I get some painkiller?" Cami said with a grimace.

"Yeah," Stott said immediately. "The med team is supposed to be down in a little bit to take some blood. We'll ask them to give you something."

She nodded and then said to Loki, "Tell me what you know."

Loki took several minutes to explain the information she had missed from the meeting with the others.

When Dan Kotter arrived, he pointed out that Loki wasn't in uniform. "You might want to split. I heard that your parents are here. Fury is probably walking them down."

"I want to be here for this," Loki said, lacking visible concern over the warning.

"What if I did die?" Cami asked with trepidation. "What if I'm a double and don't know the difference?"

Loki's hand slipped around to the back of her neck, gently pulling her forward against the bars so he could deliver a kiss to her forehead. "Impossible. No one can duplicate such perfection."

Cami had teased former boyfriends for being too cheesy with their compliments, but for Loki, who had lived so long, done so much and treated her with more respect than any other lover, his words were very reassuring in her current state of upset.

The main door opened a short time later, revealing the arrival of both the med team and Fury's group. Loki remained at the bars with her as everyone shuffled in.

"What are you doing in here?" Fury asked Loki. "I know I made my wishes very clear at the briefing."

Stott said immediately, "Agent Hill authorized us to station a second group of guards in here, Sir. I let Loki in to help keep Cami calm."

With an annoyed shake of his head, Fury turned to Odin. "The medical team is going to run blood and DNA tests on her to compare with her file and the samples we collected from the suite. It should only take a few minutes for them to get what they need."

Dr. Lloyd gestured to the table. "This will go easier if we bring her out where there is more space."

Loki backed up as Gary stepped forward to slip the key into the lock and open the door.

"Want her cuffed?" Stott asked.

Fury said, "I don't think that will really make a difference."

Cami stepped out and took the chair indicated by Dr. Lloyd. She tried not to dwell on the fact that Stott and Kotter had their hands resting on their holstered sidearms or that Loki was standing apart.

"I've got a bad headache," she mentioned to the doctors as they pulled in close to begin their work. "Every time the guards use their coms it gets a little worse."

This news seemed to surprise Dr. Lloyd, but he didn't comment except to promise she'd get something to help.

After the blood draw, a mouth swab and a quick check of her vitals, the med team grabbed their stuff and headed for the lab.

"Her blood pressure is pretty high," Dr. Lloyd told Fury. "Since she's complaining of a headache, I've got to give her something to regulate it. I'll check her file and come back down. Ultimately, we might have to move her to the infirmary."

Odin came around the table as the doctor left the cell block. He pulled out the chair near Cami's and seated himself. He openly studied her, successfully keeping emotion from crossing his own features to give her any indication of what he was thinking.

"Take my hand," he said, holding it out.

Cami noted that she was shaking as she placed her much smaller hand in his.

"Are you afraid?" Odin asked.

"Some," Cami admitted, though that fear didn't come from concern over what he was doing per se.

Dr. Montoya took the chair directly across from Odin at the table, setting down her notepad and pen. "I need you to answer some questions," she said.

Cami wasn't familiar with Montoya or her personality, though she knew that Loki didn't seem to like her very much.

"OK."

"What is your full name?"

"Camille Rae Barton."

"What were your parents' names?"

Cami hesitated to answer at first. She couldn't help wondering why she wanted to know that when it didn't relate to the situation at hand and she had access to all the personnel files anyway. "Harold and Edith Barton," she said, casting a questioning gaze toward Fury.

"How old were you when they died?"

"Four; almost five."

"How old was your brother Clint at the time?"

"Sixteen."

"Do you remember where you were when you found out they had died?"

Cami was aware of an increased tightening in her chest. She understood that Dr. Montoya was purposely attempting to get her emotions riled up and Odin was probably using some sort of magical radar on her, but it really sucked being manipulated.

"No, I... don't remember exactly," she said, rubbing at the ache beneath her brow with her free hand.

"Who told you?"

Cami strained to access the old memories despite the pressure in her head and torso. She just needed to concentrate.

Suddenly, Cami was back in that moment in her mind. She could almost feel Clint's strong embrace and strained breathing against her ear as he tried to keep from breaking down.

"It was Clint. I remember that he pulled me up on his lap and whispered it to me."

_It's amazing what the mind can remember,_ Cami thought, shaking away the memory and blinking to disperse her starting tears.

"Anything?" Dr. Montoya asked, directing the question to Odin.

The king looked uncertain as he uttered, "Bring him in."

Cami turned in her chair, watching as the door opened at Fury's beckoning and he waved Clint into the room. Clint met her gaze for only a moment with cold eyes as he took the chair Fury pulled out for him at the end of the table.

Biting at her lip, Cami also averted her gaze. It hurt too much to stare, knowing Clint would stubbornly not acknowledge her.

"Agent Barton," the doctor addressed him with the same business-like tone she'd been using with Cami, "we were just covering some facts about your parents' deaths."

"Oh." Clint leaned back in the chair, crossing his arms and clenching his jaws.

"How did they die?"

He answered like each word was being dragged from him. "Car accident."

"Cami says she wasn't yet five years old. Is that correct?"

"Ummm... sounds right."

"You were the one who told her?"

"Yeah; I didn't want some stranger to do it." When his gaze shifted fleetingly in Cami's direction again, Clint instantly fell silent.

"You don't believe this is Cami, do you?" Montoya asked.

"No... I don't."

Cami's chest continued to feel constricted with heat radiating up to her face. She guessed that her features had to be flushing with color.

"Agent Murphy," said Montoya, shifting her gaze, "does your double have your memories?"

Loki replied, "Yes. He possesses everything I experienced prior to the division of my soul."

"Then questioning her further is likely a waste of time if she's a double," Montoya concluded.

"Not necessarily," Odin said. He gently squeezed Cami's hand, leaning a little closer. "Tell us what he did to you," he encouraged.

Cami froze, staring into Odin's good eye as she was suddenly drowning in the surfacing details of the attack.

"I don't need to hear this. I read the report," Clint interrupted, quick to show his anger along with his discomfort. "My sister is dead!"

Cami screamed at him, "No, I'm not!"

With Clint's apparent rejection, there was a hot, slicing pain in Cami's chest. Odin clung to her hand when Cami cried out. "I haven't done anything wrong, yet everyone is against me."

The detention center's lights started to flicker, and Fury, Stott and Kotter dug their communicators out of their ears as the devices blared with static and a high-pitched squeal.

Cami's insides seized up and she began to convulse.

Odin caught her as she fell from the chair, cradling her in his embrace.

* * *

After some observation, Loki decided that Dr. Lloyd was agitated by the number of people loitering in his infirmary, yet he remained civil while managing his staff and the few patients present.

Loki moved forward when Frigga came out of the back room where Cami was resting.

"She has yet to regain consciousness," the queen reported, "but we have given her a thorough inspection and do believe she is our Cami."

"Her samples all matched," Dr. Lloyd agreed, holding up his copy of the DNA report.

"How can that be?" Clint asked with an overwhelmed expression. "She was using abilities that Cami never had."

Odin came through the doorway. "I think I can address that question," he said. "Is there somewhere more private where we can talk?"

Dr. Lloyd offered them the use of his office.

"I want to see Cami," Loki demanded, causing Frigga to frown at him disapprovingly.

"I will send word if she awakens."

Loki leered, but held his tongue as he followed Clint and Odin into the back office. Fury, who had just checked back in, also joined them.

Once they were seated, Odin turned his full attention to Clint. "There is a term we use for individuals born with a natural attunement to magic. We call them Sensitives, and in many cases they are identified and trained at a young age in the traditional rituals and spells of their people."

Loki understood this information, but also knew where the conversation was heading. It wasn't going to be a pleasant dialogue. He noted that the worry had yet to leave Clint's expression, like he sensed it too.

Clint clarified, "Cami is one of these Sensitives?"

"Yes, I believe she is," Odin said, "and because she has had no magical training, it's quite possible that she's aged beyond the ability to safely harness and use her power."

"That's not a promising prospect," Nick Fury said. "It sounds dangerous, actually."

"It can be," Odin said. "We unintentionally exposed her to various forms of magic during our interactions with her. If she'd never come in contact with us, not been tainted, I doubt anyone would have ever realized she was gifted."

"I get that this is really bad," Clint admitted, "but what are we going to do about it? Can this condition be fixed?"

"No."

"Now that isn't true," Loki said with a scoff. "Is it, father?"

Odin met his gaze, but said nothing.

"Could you suppress her magic," Clint asked, "like you did to Loki at his trial?"

"I could try," Odin admitted, stroking his beard.

Loki said bluntly, "This is not a decision to be made by any of us."

"This discussion will have to happen eventually," Fury said. "We should be prepared for the worst."

"We have to give Cami the chance to control her power herself. She doesn't need anything more needlessly taken from her," Loki said.

"Her seizure knocked out every electrical device we had in that section of the ship," Fury pointed out. "The cost of repairs aside, I cannot endanger the lives of my crew. What if she has a more destructive incident when we're in the air?"

Loki turned away, too agitated to continue the argument. He let himself out of the office, crossed to the back room that had once been his own, and approached the bed. He noted that Frigga had loosened Cami's braid and smoothed out her long hair on the pillow. Even though she slept, there was a pensive frown on her features.

"I will give you some privacy," Frigga said, slipping out of the room.

Loki sat in the bedside chair. "I'm sorry, my dear," he said. "I'm sure most of this is my fault."

The pattern of Cami's breathing changed and slowly she opened her eyes to look at him.

"I'm in trouble again," she said in a soft, regretful tone. "I didn't mean to..."

"I know."

She turned her head to take in the room. "I'm in the infirmary, yet I still have a headache. That's not a good sign."

"I have something important to tell you," Loki said. "It appears that you were born with the ability to use magic, but had the unfortunate luck to live on Midgard where magic hardly exists anymore."

Cami stared at him like she wasn't sure what to make of this information - or even if she believed he was speaking the truth.

"You are what they call a Sensitive."

There was a spark of recognition in her eyes as Cami told him, "Jahla called me that when they took me to the ice caves to be healed. She seemed upset by it."

"Really?" It didn't make much sense to him why Jahla would be concerned.

Cami nodded, taking some time before asking, "So, what's the bad news?"

He wondered by what means she had come to this conclusion. Had she read something in his expression or voice?

"It's OK. I'm used to constant problems," she said. "You told me I'm a mage and I immediately doubted that I would be heading to Hogwarts."

Loki let his frown take full form. On top of not understanding what she was saying, her sarcastic tone was bordering on rude.

Cami sighed at his expression. "Just tell me."

She made no comments at all as he carefully explained how important it was for Sensitives to be trained at a young age to manipulate magic.

"Their concern comes from the fact that you are so old and have never been trained," Loki said.

"Asgardians live for a really long time. How can they compare my measly twenty-one years against that?"

Loki had no answer for her and that saddened him. "Tell me what you want," he said. He would do anything to ease her burden.

"I just need a chance to breathe," she said sadly. "I think I never should have climbed on this roller coaster."

Again, Loki didn't have a reference, but he could understand her underlying meaning.

It was a short while later that Nick Fury, King Odin and Dr. Montoya walked in together.

"Are you sending me away?" Cami asked immediately.

"Do you think we should?" Fury asked.

"No," Cami sulked.

"We have to take your safety and that of the crew into consideration," Dr. Montoya said. "This is a highly stressful environment for you to be in, Miss Barton."

Nick said, "With everything that has happened, wouldn't you prefer to get away?"

"No," Cami repeated. "I want a chance to graduate and actually contribute around here. Important things are happening."

Loki stood, turning to address the trio. "Let me try to train her."

"Son," Odin said, his expression grim, "even with Hel watching over you, Cami could still unwittingly cause you serious harm. We'll take her to Asgard and see what can be done."

Loki raised his voice in agitation. "She hasn't hurt anyone."

This fact didn't appear to change their thinking.

"He needs me or he'll get trapped in Niflheim," Cami said. "You can't make me leave him to that."

Montoya telegraphed an 'I told you so' look to Director Fury.

"What?" Cami asked, staring down the psychologist. "You don't believe that he needs me?"

"Actually, I don't think you two are capable of keeping work and your personal lives separate," Montoya said firmly, "but my opinions and concerns have already been disregarded." With no further comment or even a glance at those around her, the doctor left.

Fury closed the door. "The Council is very concerned with the whole Bad Loki and Jahla situation. They've authorized me to work in conjunction with Asgard to investigate their activities, determine their location and deal with them in whatever manner we can. So, in the interest of good relations and cooperation, I am reinstating Cami to the Mischief Makers and temporarily reassigning the team to Odin's command. You're heading back to Asgard."

"Heimdall isn't going to like this," Loki said, mindful of the gatekeeper's tendency to hold firmly to the laws of the realm.

"Yes, well... there have been some recent changes back home," Odin said. "I've got troubling reports coming in, my inquirers are spread thin and I've spent too much time on Midgard as of late."

"Clint has gone to tell Natasha," Fury added. "The team needs to submit their equipment requests right away so we can pull together what you'll need for the flight to New Mexico."

Loki asked Odin, "Is it a good idea to transport Midgardian technology through the bifrost? Or into Asgard at all?" He was fairly certain it had never been attempted.

Odin's reply was unconcerned. "I do not foresee any problems."

"When do we leave?" Cami asked.

"In the morning," Fury said. "Get yourself cleared through Dr. Lloyd then report to your supervisors."

"Yes sir," Loki and Cami said together then exchanged troubled looks.

* * *

Clint found Natasha in the team suite, sitting on her bed and unpacking her suitcase.

"So much for the birthday retreat, huh?" he said.

"I never should have hoped," she replied with a sad, yet accepting smile. Nat patted the mattress beside her.

Clint took the offered spot, leaning into her as she put an arm around him.

"Any news?"

"I don't know where to begin. I've really messed up."

"She IS Cami then?"

"Yeah. She's supposed to be some kind of natural born magician. King Odin says she could be dangerous."

"Why?"

"Some bullshit about her being too old to safely learn magic. It's just going to be another point of contention."

"What do we do?"

"I don't know." Clint pressed his palm to the ache forming in his forehead. "Maybe she won't even talk to me."

"Give it time."

Clint accepted this as good advice.

"So... we've got a mission. Fury is sending the team to Asgard to help Odin run his spy network and organize intel a little better. Apparently, there's been an influx of trouble in some of the realms and he needs help determining what all can be traced to Jahla and the Bad Loki."

Natasha responded, "You know, I should be excited about this opportunity, but..."

Clint could relate. "I know. It's a bit daunting and not exactly a welcome relocation right now, but we've gotta do it. Oh, and Fury put Cami back on the team. I think Odin insisted."

"Well that's something," Natasha admitted.

Clint indicated her open luggage. "We'll all be swapping out for gear and uniforms."

Then a small box, partially wrapped in bright, colorful paper beside the suitcase caught his attention. "Is that a birthday present?"

"Ummm... yeah, actually. Security found it in Cami's luggage during their search. Hopper brought it down, along with this," she said, pulling a receipt from her pocket and holding it up for him to see.

Clint skimmed the tiny print. "Condoms?"

Natasha pointed out the name of the store. "Cami and Loki bought these in D.C. at the sex shop before the Drago mission. Look at the box."

As soon as Clint picked up the box and slipped it out of the wrapping, his gaze fell on the bow and arrow logo and he started to laugh.

"Yeah," Natasha said with a smirk. "Not subtle."

"We really could have used these this morning."

Natasha quickly changed topic. "I inspected Loki's room when I got in," she said. "Cleaning crew did a good job. I think they must have thrown out most of his books though."

Clint got up, heading to see the room for himself.

His first impression was the strong bleach odor, which he could smell before he had the door completely opened. The walls had been scrubbed to a bright white, the carpet was obviously new and the bed had fresh linens and blankets. As Natasha mentioned, the books that generally littered the bed and desk were gone. Only Loki's shadow grimoire remained, resting on the corner of the desk.

Clint expected to feel anger as he stood in the doorway of the room where his sister had been viciously tortured, but he determined it was guilt he was feeling overall. It wasn't long and he had to step out of the room.

The team met up for dinner in the mess hall later. Clint and Natasha had already started an equipment list and Loki had some ideas of his own after a quick look over of the agency arsenal and supply inventories.

"Are you going to say anything?" Natasha asked Cami, who was picking at her salad as she slouched in her chair, staring blankly at the table top. "Some input would be nice."

"I want my gadgets back," Cami muttered. Her words were laced with restrained anger. "Shouldn't my restriction be lifted soon anyway?"

"Yeah," Clint agreed. "It's been about two months, you're right."

Cami chose not to look at him, which shouldn't have been a surprise.

"We'd better request some parts for her," he said to the others. "So she can tinker."

Natasha pushed the computer over to Cami. "Add what you want."

Clint watched Cami's eyes settle on the screen and then almost instantly glaze over. In fact, she looked tired and on the verge of tears.

"How's the migraine?" Clint asked softly. He'd taken a few pills for his own headache a short while ago.

"Bad," Cami said. Then she rose from the chair. "Never mind the stuff. I don't want it after all."

Loki reached for her, but Cami stepped away, moving quickly to leave the mess hall.

"Apparently there is something I do not know," Loki said.

"Before you arrived, Cami got busted stealing parts from the tech workshop. She was kicked from the class and put on a two-month restriction," Clint explained. "The kid really likes gadgets. So, it's been hard on her."

Loki picked up the abandoned computer. "Do you know what she'll need?"

"Not really," Clint admitted.

Natasha shook her head. "I use gadgets, but I don't know the technical stuff like Cami does."

"Who was her instructor?"

"Dr. Bohini," Nat said. "He runs the workshop."

Noting that none of them had been eating for several minutes, Clint asked "Are we done here?"

"I believe so," Loki said. "Can I take this? I want to visit with Dr. Bohini. Then I'll submit the list for approval."

"Fine with me," Clint said. "Just get it in as soon as possible."

Everyone had stuff to do. So, when he found himself alone, Clint decided he'd better talk to Mike. As his second-in-command, Hopper would have to take over Hellhound business again while Clint was away.

Clint inquired of Mike's location and was directed to his quarters. As he approached along the long corridor, Clint spotted Sif already standing at Mike's door, looking forlorn as she waited for a response to her knock.

He'd been told that Sif was returning to Asgard with them, but hadn't thought far enough ahead to realize the couple would be separated. Clint stopped, watching as the door opened and Sif was allowed inside. He readily chose not to burden Mike with work-related stuff at the moment.

People in the corridor were giving him strange looks as Clint stood there, trying to decide where to go. Unless he came up with something else quick, he knew he was likely to end up at the range. There was always paperwork of some sort awaiting his attention, but Clint loathed using his time up in that fashion, especially when it wasn't likely to keep his mind off his troubles.

"Agent Barton," a voice said through his communicator.

"This is Barton," he answered.

"Trainee Barton is requesting to make an out-of-agency phone call."

"To where?"

"The residence of Robert and Joyce Murphy."

"Those were her foster parents," Clint said, since the operator probably didn't know that.

"Can I authorize this call?"

"Yeah. Go ahead."

"Shall I patch the feed through to your communicator?"

"No. I think I know pretty much how that talk is going to sound. Barton out." Clint deactivated his com. Obviously, if the switchboard had to go through all of that over a phone call, the security office still had a flag on Cami's records. He thought he'd better take the initiative to pay them a visit and get some details worked out.

* * *

Loki was seated at Cami's desk when she arrived at the suite after midnight. He looked up from the pages of the grimoire with tired, red eyes.

"Why aren't you in bed?" Cami asked.

He sounded too tired to be cross. "I can ask you the same."

"I needed to keep moving. It helps... sorta."

"You haven't packed and we are leaving early," Loki reminded her. He put the book on the desk, pushed to his feet and drew close. "Are you angry with me?"

"No."

"I want to understand," he said. "I want to help."

Cami couldn't meet his eyes. There was too much going through her head to explain, and she suspected the words wouldn't help ease him anyway.

She asked, "What do I need to pack? Is there a list or something?"

There wasn't an exact list. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn't tell her how many pairs of socks to take, for instance, but Loki did help focus her wandering thoughts so she could complete the task. Then they stripped down to their underwear and fell into her bed for a few hours of rest.

Natasha woke Cami promptly at four.

It took Cami about ten minutes to wake Loki. They shared a hot shower and then shuffled around getting ready and hauling their bags out to the living room. Cami also grabbed her training staff, which she hadn't had much time to use outside of Asgard.

"Nice," Natasha said to Loki, eyeing the leather jacket he was wearing instead of his usual uniform one. "That is not an off-the-rack piece."

"Got it from a specialty leather store," Cami said factually. She was truthfully a little jealous of the coat, especially since Loki looked damn sexy in it.

Sif stood off to the side, dressed in her attire for Asgard with the addition of a slender gold chain around her neck, which she was fingering distractedly. Cami hadn't seen her wear the chain before.

Clint came out of his room, looking as exhausted as the rest of them. "Give me some strong coffee and you've got an instant pilot," he joked. He set down his bag. "The jet is prepped on the flight deck. Do we want to try and eat at this hour or just pack something and get on our way?"

"I think Mike was going to meet us for breakfast, right Sif?" Natasha said.

Sif nodded. "He said he would try."

That settled the issue quite nicely. Once they handed off their luggage to be stowed on the jet, the group met up with Hopper for stuffed french toast with strawberries, Sif's favorite Midgardian breakfast.

They also ran into Tony, Bruce and Jane who had yet to go to bed since their collaboration on the magic detection device had started the previous day. Luckily the kitchen had prepped a wide selection of coffee.

"Hey, keep my boys and girls out of trouble," Hopper requested of Sif as they said their farewells on the flight deck.

"I will," Sif promised and gave him a long hug.

Cami didn't know how Sif managed not to shed a single tear, because she was certainly sniffling over the prospect of Mike and Sif possibly never seeing each other again.

They boarded the jet soon afterward when Clint was informed that an inbound aircraft needed their spot. All-in-all it was a smooth take off and flight to New Mexico during which the girls were dozing in and out a lot.

"Why don't you close your eyes?" Cami asked Loki. "You know I'll wake you when we get there."

"I'm not so interested in seeing more of the wintery wastes of Niflheim right now," he answered with a wan smile.

Cami asked gently, "How is Hel? Did you speak with her last night?"

He considered her for a moment, appearing to lose even more enthusiasm at the prospect of having this particular conversation.

"No. She is angry with me, I imagine."

"Not a good relationship, huh?"

Loki stared off, choosing not to reply for so long that Cami thought they were done speaking.

When he did continue, his voice was low and distant. "She's trapped in Niflheim, appointed queen to the spirits of the unworthy dead who were refused a place in Valhalla. There is a barrier of energy that surrounds her domain and usually anyone who crosses it becomes trapped as well. No one purposely goes to Niflheim - at least, not after I ended my visits centuries ago and before my double went to make his bargain with her."

Though Loki had her attention and sympathetic ear, Cami did notice that Natasha and Sif were listening now too.

"What is she like?"

"Only half of her body lives and is beautiful. The other half is dead, slowly decomposing over a millennium. Hel is powerful, shrewd and so very, very stubborn."

Cami said sincerely, "That sounds like a harsh existence."

Loki leaned his head back then, tending to his own thoughts.

Clint put the jet down along a flat stretch of desert outside of Puente Antiguo near the bifrost site. Three trucks were waiting for them with the remaining gear and equipment Fury had promised. When the first opened and an STAV rolled down the ramp in front of them, Cami nearly cheered.

"Jamie!" she called out in greeting as Jamie Tripp popped out of the cockpit to wave at them.

"Mr. Stark says to go easy on his babies," Jamie said. "We installed all the energy collecting and saving equipment available for these two. I'd keep the actual fuel for emergencies and just let them run off the solar power and such." He walked up the ramp of the second truck to drive out the other STAV, which had been fitted with a detachable cargo trailer where they loaded their baggage from the jet.

Clint stepped over to speak with the other men on site and get any special instructions for the third truck, which was a little smaller than the other two. Packed with equipment, that truck was coming with them as well.

"Stark tell you where we're going?" Natasha asked Tripp.

"Nope, but the locals sure have some interesting stories," he said, indicating the distant town with a jerk of his head. "I thought they might correlate some."

There was a detailed plan of how they were going to move all this equipment and themselves through the bifrost. Loki was hesitant to let anyone actually sit in the driver's seat of any vehicle while in transit. So, he and Clint stepped up first with Loki calling respectfully for Heimdall to open the bifrost.

* * *

A sound much like a roll of thunder directly above them drew Clint's attention skyward. The clouds were actually starting to swirl and there was a flash of lightning that seemed to imbue them with a light green luminescence.

Clint barely had time to doubt the brilliance of this plan when there was a blinding flash, a crashing wave of light, and he was suddenly yanked off his feet. He couldn't guess at the speed he was traveling, but by the time he calmed and actually took in the magnificence of the journey through space to an alternate dimension, the trip was basically over.

His forward momentum reversed so quickly that Clint felt a tremendous strain on his body. He fell to his hands and knees upon a hard, metal floor, slowly gazing upward to see a towering, dark-skinned man in menacing gold armor looming over him with a huge sword.

Clint attempted to rise, but fell on his butt instead, having not quite regained his equilibrium. Loki stepped over to offer Clint a hand up and steady him.

"So, this is your bifrost, huh?" Clint asked, casting a nervous look around, taking in the dimensions and design of the massive, magical machine with moving parts, which were slowly coming to a stop.

Loki gestured to the swordsman. "Clint Barton, this is Heimdall the Gatekeeper of Asgard."

"Thank you for the lift," Clint said in earnest.

"Per Asgard's newest law, I welcome you, Clint Barton of Midgard, to the Realm Eternal," Heimdall said, though his deep voice, taut features and intimidating stare were not at all welcoming in Clint's opinion.

To Loki, Heimdall said, "That includes you as well, your majesty... for now."

Loki nodded and looked away, obviously disturbed to be reminded of his banishment.

"They are nearly ready," Heimdall reported, seeming to stare right through Clint and Loki.

"Let's make some room," Loki suggested, pulling Clint over behind Heimdall who moved to a platform with a pedestal at its center. "We've never pulled vehicles such as these through the bifrost before. Wagons and chariots, yes, but those always come with horses to stop them."

"I think we're good as long as nothing slips them out of park," Clint said.

He was in awe as Heimdall inserted the long sword into the pedestal and the structure began to move again, quickly picking up speed. Clint didn't dare move an inch as forks of electricity zigzagged all around them. Again there was a flash of white light and suddenly two blurs rushed at them through the tunnel thing, becoming recognizable as the STAVs only as they came to a safe rest on the metal flooring.

"That was really cool," Clint said with only somewhat controlled enthusiasm.

"It will get old after awhile, I'm sure," Loki said, rushing forward to dive into the cockpit of the nearest vehicle. Clint went to the other, following Loki as he drove it out of the bifrost and parked it well beyond the immense golden sphere upon a glimmering road that stretched to the walled kingdom of Asgard in the distance.

Clint climbed out of the STAV to stand upon the rainbow bridge that Cami had described after her visit. To Clint the bridge looked like it was formed from a kind of thick, layered crystal.

"Hey, how much weight does this thing hold?" he asked Loki as he walked back.

"I don't know," Loki admitted. "We've marched hundreds of armored men and their horses across it with no concern."

"Oh. OK. Good to know."

The equipment truck arrived next and was also driven out to wait on the bridge.

"It is good that they built this bifrost bigger than the last," Loki uttered to Clint. "The truck wouldn't have made it through the doorway otherwise."

Cami, Natasha and Sif arrived last. Like Clint, Natasha had a hard time keeping her footing and might have toppled if it weren't for Sif's quick reflexes. Though she technically didn't fall, Cami had lowered herself down to one knee and was holding her head in her hands as she took in deep breaths.

The men moved in to render assistance as Heimdall greeted Sif.

Sif returned the greeting. "These are our S.H.I.E.L.D. allies from Midgard."

"I have met Clint... and Cami, of course."

Cami offered him a weak wave as Loki helped her up.

"This is Natasha Romanoff," Sif said, holding Nat by the shoulders.

"Welcome to Asgard," Heimdall replied, not sounding nearly as insincere this time, Clint decided, though apparently the scary voice was normal for him.

"Thank you," Natasha said, seeming to size him and the bifrost up in turn.

"King Odin approaches on Sleipnir," Heimdall informed them, turning to cast his gaze out of the structure. "He will escort you through the kingdom to the palace."

Clint took Nat's hand and walked her out, making sure she was steadier on her feet now.

"Wow," Natasha said, inspecting the crystalline bridge and peeking over the edge. "That's humbling," she uttered.

Clint also took a moment to peer off into the openness of space and quickly agreed.

"That's not a good place to linger," Loki said uncomfortably, and gently pulled both of them away from the edge as Odin rode up on a large and muscled, black warhorse that boggled Clint when he realized it had twice as many legs as was natural for a horse.

"Wicked ride, your majesty," Cami said with a wide grin. "I did not see THAT the last time I was here," she told Loki, who looked a bit unsettled by her excitement.

Odin broke out in a grin at Cami's words. "I assume that is a compliment, for Sleipnir is a very special horse," he said. "There is none faster, stronger or smarter in all the nine realms."

"I don't doubt it," Cami said.

"Alright," Clint prodded, "let's get moving. Cami ride with Loki. Nat take Sif with you."

Loki and Natasha drove the STAVs behind Odin's horse with Clint bringing up the rear of their precession in the truck. The tall gates stood open and crowds of people lined the streets, leaned out of windows and gathered on grand balconies and rooftops to see them pass through.

Clint realized that some of the citizens were smiling and waving or at least looked pleasantly curious, while others appeared more suspicious and apprehensive. It would be important to find out just how much Odin had shared with his subjects about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s presence in Asgard. The king certainly wasn't keeping them a secret.


	27. Chapter 27

*Warning! There are explicit sexual situations briefly described in this chapter.*

Thank you so much to Loki'sdreamer, HawkeyeLover, featherstone5725, Dr. Bad Ass Is In, Kathalla and sv4me. You are awesome!

* * *

Mischief Makers – Chapter Twenty-Seven:

* * *

They had been in Asgard less than an hour and Clint was already in a horrible mood. The unexpected parade through the streets had put him on edge and rightfully so. An agent knew better than to start a mission by announcing to everyone that he was a spy, and though Odin probably didn't do that exactly, he sure roused up a bunch of hoopla with their arrival.

Considering the enormous task before them, Clint really wanted everyone to shut up and listen to him. Of course, it wasn't going to be that easy. There were debates breaking out over everything. The first being the room in the palace they were going to use for their command center. Odin had prepared a spare reception room with big windows for natural lighting, but Clint doubted any of them wanted the sun glaring on their screens or in their eyes when they were working on the computers. On the other hand, they had to conserve and manage power usage whenever possible, which ultimately made the windows necessary.

Clint pressed the need to get their solar panels installed, while Cami and Loki argued that if they got the computer systems up and running first, they could begin the time-consuming task of entering Odin's intel from his inquirers into a database.

"We don't want to run too long on the batteries alone," Clint said.

"Yeah, but we're losing daylight," Natasha pointed out. "By the time we install the panels, there won't be much light to put to use. Let's unload the workstations."

Luckily, Odin and Sif had business awaiting their attention. So, once Clint turned down the king's offer to have the servants assist with the truck, the Mischief Makers were finally on their own.

For the next few hours, they assembled workstations and started hooking up and testing their electronics, which didn't agree too well with Cami's constant headache. The result was her whining more than usual and Loki being extra distracted by her.

"Maybe we should find the flashlights," Natasha said, "before we venture into the back of the truck for anything else."

Loki was standing at one of the workstations and turned to say, "The servants will be around to light the braziers anytime now. They will bring lanterns if we ask."

Clint made a face at the thought of the servants moving in and out of their workspace and around the equipment, but tried to cover it up by wiping sweat off his forehead when he realized everyone was watching him.

Cami complained, "This would have gone a lot faster if we'd accepted Odin's offer to have his people help unload the truck."

"We don't..." Clint started to say, then corrected himself. "I don't know these people, their motivations, their allegiances, anything. We're in the middle of a freaking security nightmare, if you haven't noticed."

_Alright. There... I said it,_ he thought, knowing his comments wouldn't go unchallenged.

"You just have to get to know the palace staff," Cami seemed to lecture him. "We can't distrust everyone all of the time."

Natasha spoke before Clint, but said exactly what he was going to say. "Cami, this isn't the helicarrier. You're acting naive."

"Loki and I have experience with these people. You are supposed to trust our judgment as teammates," Cami said.

"The palace is more secure than you realize," Loki said. "Heimdall looks in frequently. Odin can detect things that most can't, and he doesn't let just anyone live and work here. In fact, I'm sure the guards and servants find our presence equally unsettling."

"Are they more worried about us or YOU?" Clint countered, purposely snapping. He regretted it though when Loki's tall frame fidgeted and his gaze fell.

Also, Loki's hesitation was too profound to be ignored before he admitted, "You're right. My presence complicates things immensely."

Cami shifted her focus from Loki to Clint, looking angry and uncomfortable. She put her hand to her chest and stepped cautiously away from the panel she had been wiring. "I'll leave you guys to finish this argument," she muttered and headed out the double doors, grabbing her staff from the trailer as she passed the STAVs.

Loki and Natasha stood in silence, looking, but also not looking at him.

Clint was aggravated by the whole situation. He understood that Odin had requested their help, but somehow it felt more like Fury had handed them off merely to get Cami and Loki out of his non-existent hair.

He said to them, "I know this sucks. I really don't think any of us want to be here right now, but we've got to get our shit together." When he got no response, Clint added, "Why don't you two install the software. I'll lock up the truck for the evening and check on Cami. Then we'll start on those reports."

Clint might have wandered the grounds for hours looking for his sister if some helpful guards hadn't pointed him in the direction of the training area. From the sound of it, Cami was not alone, which Clint confirmed when he found Sif and Cami sparring inside a large courtyard.

The tale of David and Goliath came immediately to mind as he watched them. Sif was going easy on her, but Cami still blocked and attacked more confidently with her staff than Clint had seen in any fight back at the helicarrier.

Suddenly they sensed him. Cami backed away from Sif before sneaking a peek at Clint and then turning away altogether.

Sif lowered her staff. "You are doing very well," she said proudly to Cami. "I'm sorry, but I must go. I promised the Warriors Three that I would meet them for drinks and to share stories of Midgard."

"It's OK," Cami said, giving a little half-shrug with her shoulder. "I have to go too."

"Another time?"

"Yeah. Of course."

Sif set her staff on a nearby rack and nodded respectfully to Clint as she walked past him out of the courtyard.

There were several moments of silence before Cami sighed loudly and turned back to face him. She looked defensive like he'd insulted her.

"I didn't say anything."

"Then I won't either," she said, walking around him for the exit.

"Hey, wait a sec," Clint said, following after her. "I know things haven't been easy, but you can't pout every time I make a decision or observation you don't like. You requested me to be in charge of this team, remember?"

Cami kept walking and didn't even look back at him, though she did respond rather flippantly, "Fine. You're right. I'm wrong. Please don't lock up or disown me again."

Stunned by her words, Clint slowed his pursuit to contemplate and internalize what she must be feeling, which caused emotions that were too powerful to be ignored.

"Cami!" he called after her, rushing to catch up. "Stop and talk to me."

She didn't slow, but his longer strides carried him to her within moments. He reached out and took her arm. "Stop," he repeated, planting his feet.

Cami came to a sudden halt and slipped her arm from his grasp. She pushed her hair out of her eyes, tucking it behind her ears to reveal she was flushed and spilling tears in long trails down her cheeks.

"I don't know where to begin."

"You are supposed to help and protect me."

"Yes," he agreed, unable to say more as he nearly choked on a swell of intense guilt and wondered just how much worse Cami's pain was in comparison.

"I thought I wanted to be like you, to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. and help people."

Though she paused, Clint didn't jump in. He tried to swallow and hear her out while he searched for the right words.

"Fury has basically banished me to Asgard. At this rate, I'm not going to graduate. So, I'm a failed agent, a broken mage, a disappointing sister AND a burden on my boyfriend, who would probably leave me if he could."

"Most of that isn't true." Clint stepped closer and attempted to touch her shoulder, but she backed away, prompting him to keep talking. "You are amazing, ya know? Someone less strong, less determined, would have quit by now under all the strain you've dealt with. You keep trying, which is one of the things Nat and I love most about ya."

"I don't know where I belong," Cami confessed, then winced and gripped her chest. "I want someone to finally keep me instead of leaving or sending me away."

"I AM keeping you," Clint desperately promised, but his tone still sounded angry, he realized.

He made another step toward her, but she skillfully flipped up her staff, planting the end at the base of his throat to keep him back.

"Don't," she demanded. "I'm trying to calm down before something bad happens. Just walk away, like you always do."

It pained him to realize how much he had and was still hurting her. "I'm sorry," Clint muttered and promptly left her presence, hearing her sob once more before he got too far away.

He made his way back to the command center, choosing to ignore the looks from Loki and Natasha as he busied himself stacking their empty equipment boxes in the corner.

"Where's Cami?" Natasha asked.

"Cooling off," Clint said.

"Should one of us go talk to her?"

"She acted like she wanted to be alone. We'll get more done without her complaining anyway," he said, knowingly venting anger and upset into his words.

_You're an ass,_ he told himself, but couldn't help it. _Why does everything have to go so wrong?_

* * *

Cami walked the grounds appreciating the breeze that danced across her skin, carrying the sweet smells of the flowers as the warmth of the day ebbed. Her mind was clouded with the migraine and her unfocused thoughts. At least the physical activity calmed her emotions and the burn in her chest some.

She covered a lot of ground as she walked, nearing a small pavilion quite a ways from the palace when she realized that the brightest stars were already peeking through the dimming colors of the heavens. She would have to run to avoid getting stuck out in the encroaching darkness, but as she started back, she sensed something that made her stop. It hadn't been a sound, smell or a perceived movement. It was a subtle twinge in her core that she could have dismissed, but didn't.

Cami's instincts told her that the twinge was a warning that she was not alone. She scanned the area as she turned cautiously in a circle.

"Very good," a smooth voice praised.

Following the sound, Cami caught sight of the Bad Loki standing in the entry of the pavilion, looking pleased. "I hoped you would be attuned enough to feel that."

"What was 'that' exactly?" Cami demanded, continuing to shift her gaze just in case the Loki she did see was only a distraction.

"Among mages, it is considered good manners to announce one's presence. I was being polite." He picked a blue and white flower from the plant growing up the metal lattice beside him then stepped down on the grass, strolling casually toward her.

Cami started to panic as he drew closer, intensifying the pain in her chest.

He stopped a little more than an arm's-length away, holding the flower out to her.

Cami felt that he was much too close for comfort. She planted her staff between them, but assumed it wouldn't be enough to keep him back. Plus, he'd likely pursue if she tried to flee.

With a flutter of uncertainty, she said, "No thanks. I don't accept gifts from strange men."

"How can you suggest that I'm a stranger?" he gently chided. "Have I not made a strong enough impression on you?"

"I said you were strange, not a stranger," Cami clarified. "What do you want?"

He dropped the flower into the grass at her feet. "You wandered out here away from Odin's immediate protection. I assumed you were luring me in for some purpose."

It would be stupid to admit that she'd walked away from her team without thinking about the consequences, but that also left her with nothing to say short of making up a quick lie, which she figured he would see through anyway if he wasn't reading her mind or some other wizards' trick.

Cami didn't realize she was rubbing at her sternum until Bad Loki inquired, "Is the pain terrible?" He was eyeing her closely, but looked too cheerful to be genuinely sympathetic.

"You don't really care," she said. "I think you gain pleasure from my discomfort."

He chose not to respond to that comment. He started a slow walk around her. "Does Odin have a plan for your predicament?"

Cami turned, tracking him because she was determined not to let him out of her sight. "If so, he hasn't shared it with me. What do you know about it?"

"Probably more than he does really."

"Did you do this to me?" Cami gently accused, reading something in his expression that made her think it could be true.

"Sensitives are born, not made," he said firmly.

"So, no; you didn't do something to me that attributed to this mess?"

"Well... of course I did," he said. "Every spell I've used on you tipped the balance a little more. Odin, Frigga, Jahla, even your pathetic lover - all of us can share the blame."

"What do you think Odin will do?" She surprised herself with the question.

"If you do prove dangerous, I assume he will take your power away or orchestrate your timely demise," he said pointedly. "You might think the King of Asgard is an inherently benevolent being, but he does have to consider the greater good."

His words upset her, and Cami had to stop herself from arguing with him in Odin's defense. Of course, Bad Loki would likely lie to her for his own amusement.

He reached out as if to caress her and Cami jumped away from the touch, her fear converting to anger. She said vehemently, "You don't get to touch me ever again!"

"Such fire," Bad Loki said with admiration, his eyes brightening. "I have no plans to hurt you in the near future."

"I don't believe that. Loki says there is very little good in you, AND you're a famed liar."

He really did seem to be enjoying this talk, not that Cami could tell why since she was insulting him. He said in a conspiring tone, "The story would be very different if I didn't have need of you. I'm not going to hurt you. I thought I made that plain."

"You cut me open!"

"That lesson wasn't for you," he replied casually, acting as if this simple explanation would fix everything.

"Fuck you," Cami muttered. "I don't want to play a part in your evil plans. Why can't you go make your mischief elsewhere and leave me and my friends alone?"

He grinned widely at her. "I do believe I feel a bargain in the works, my dear. Shall we...?"

"What?"

He obviously enjoyed her confusion. "A proposition. You want me to go away. So, I'm entertaining the chance of making a deal between us."

"Who are you, the Rumplestiltskin of Asgard? You'll just find a way to screw me over. No way!"

"We could include a stipulation for your 'Sensitive' situation."

"I said no."

"You haven't even asked what I want in return," he said, daring to slip forward so his front was touching her hand that held the staff. He was inches from her at best, looking down with a suggestive glint in his cunning green eyes.

"Ewww!" she said with disgust, retreating from him.

"Didn't you make the offer to, as you put it, fuck me?"

"That is not what I meant, and I think you know that."

"You should choose your words more carefully," he said. "One might take advantage."

"Loki is my lover, not you. And there's not going to be a bargain," Cami insisted.

"Then I suppose we have nothing more to discuss."

The sun was low on the horizon, casting an orangey glow on him and the surroundings. Cami noticed movement on a distant hill, yet tried not to let her eyes shift too far and alert him as she inquired, "Why did you let us have our memories back?"

He stared at her in consideration. "That was also a lesson, but not only for you," he said, turning his head to gaze momentarily over his shoulder as Clint and Loki topped the next closest hill on horseback.

"Explain the lesson I was supposed to learn," Cami pressed.

The riders were slowing as they neared instead of charging forward to her rescue, which clued Cami in that Clint and Loki couldn't see him standing there with her.

"Give it some thought. I'm sure you're capable," Bad Loki said, waiting until the horses were fairly close before he left in a blink.

With his departure came an intense wave of relief that forced Cami to take in a deep breath right before the horses stopped in front of her.

Clint looked angrier than he sounded as he said, "It's a little late to be out wandering. I'd prefer not to have to lecture you about being careless and worrying everyone."

"I still remember how that lecture goes," she insisted, dropping her gaze to the grass and discarded flower by her shoe. In light of Clint's anger, it seemed a poor moment to bring up her conversation with the Bad Loki.

Loki dismounted and pulled her close. "Did the walk help?"

"Not nearly enough."

Clint said, "We should go. Odin and Frigga are expecting us to join them for dinner."

Loki noticed the flower, picked it up and tucked it behind Cami's ear before boosting her onto his horse. Then he climbed up behind her, took the reins and led the way as they turned back toward the palace.

"Do I have to go?" Cami whined as they turned the horses over to a stable hand. She let every ounce of her misery seep through on her features and in her voice. "There's going to be tension and probably more arguing."

Clint looked at Loki, seeming to delegate to him the chore of handling her question.

"I'm sorry, but the king wants to see all of us," Loki said, then led the way to the royal couple's suite.

Clint and Odin dominated the majority of the conversation at dinner, discussing, disagreeing and ultimately compromising over security issues. Frigga had a lot of questions, Natasha offered various suggestions to the hard issues, and Loki prioritized and estimated how long it would take to complete certain tasks ahead of them.

Cami did none of those things. She was suffering in silence, agitated by all the talking that really seemed to produce so few results. If she hadn't been numbing her headache with generous sips from her wine glass, which the servants kept refilling for her, she wouldn't have endured it as long as she did.

Finally, she interrupted yet another debate to ask Odin wearily, "May I be excused, your majesty?"

Odin turned his attention on her and offered his first real smile of the evening. "Yes, Cami. I'm sure you've had a tiring day."

"I think I will turn in as well," Loki said instantly, rising from his chair.

"See you tomorrow," Clint said to them and then emphasized, "early."

Frigga and Natasha also wished them a good night and the couple slipped out to the main corridor, which was lit by freestanding or wall-mounted braziers about every fifteen feet.

"Thank you, my dear," Loki said as they walked through the alternating lit and shadowed sections. "I thought we would be stuck at that table all night."

"It was pointless for me to be there," she said, leaning against his side. "I couldn't pay attention."

"Do the medications Dr. Lloyd gave you not help with the pain?"

"They do," she explained, "but not for very long. I can only take them every six hours and now I've been drinking and shouldn't take them at all."

He frowned at her. "I did notice the amount of wine you had. You'll probably feel much worse in the morning."

Loki turned off the main corridor into an entry that looked familiar. Cami froze, watching as Loki opened the center door and stepped inside.

"This is your suite," she said with apprehension.

He looked surprised by her reaction. "Where else did you think we were going?" He walked back out and took her hand.

"I don't think I should stay in your rooms," she said, standing her ground. "It's your place to go when you want to be alone."

He considered her for a moment then scooped her up enthusiastically and carried her inside. "You're right," he said, kicking the door closed with his foot and walking on through the sitting room. "This is also where I eat, sleep, study, bathe, dress AND occasionally make passionate love to a beautiful woman."

Cami was laughing at his whimsical take on her objection as they entered the bedroom/study area.

"How many women?" she dared to ask.

He laid her out on the bed and settled on the edge. He was trying to squelch his own playful smile, but not succeeding very well. "In this bed?"

"Yes."

"You're sure you want to know?"

"Uh huh."

He swooped in, giving her a long, seductive kiss that made her jump at first then slowly relax into the softness of the bed.

"Mmmm... Nice try. I still want to know," she teased when they parted. "Did you lose count of them?"

"No," he said, appearing amused that she thought that. Then his expression became more serious and sincere as he said, "There's only been two others in this bed before."

Cami was surprised by the number. "Can I ask who?"

"If it really matters." His amazing green eyes were so soulful as he added, "You don't have to stay with me, but I want you to."

Cami sat up, resting against the bed's thick headboard. She asked, "You aren't worried that I'll hurt you with my magic?"

"No."

"Well, I think you're being foolishly optimistic."

"Optimistic that you'll not hurt me or that you'll stay?"

_God, he's got the sexiest grin, _Cami thought, practically melting under his gaze. She could try and fool herself that there was still a choice to be made, but she would have put up some semblance of a fight when he was carrying her in if she hadn't wanted to be here.

"I need a bath before anything else," she said, tugging at her uniform shirt. "I feel all kinds of gross in my clothes."

"You say the most charming things," Loki said with a slow shake of his head. Then he looked toward a doorway which Cami had yet to see beyond, calling for Igus.

The elderly servant appeared almost instantly, causing Cami to realize with unease that he must have been nearby all along.

"Lady Camille has decided to stay the night," Loki told Igus. "Start a bath for us."

"Of course, your majesty," Igus said with a bow, then disappeared through the doorway just as suddenly.

"Lady Camille?" Cami questioned.

"It's come to my attention that the servants believe we are pledged to be married. Lady Camille is what they've taken to calling you as part of your higher standing," he explained.

Cami went from surprise to mild agitation. "You're letting them continue to think that? Why?"

"I didn't see any harm in it. If anything, an arranged marriage probably helps them to accept the team's presence in Asgard. I doubt Odin has told them that much about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s reasons for being here."

Even coming from him, the explanation was a little ridiculous, but Cami didn't think Loki was to blame for the rumor or that he was trying to use it to manipulate her in some way.

"You're going to have to tell Clint, Natasha and your parents before they hear it from someone else and think it is true," Cami said.

"Of course."

Igus stepped into the room long enough to let them know that the bath water was running and to ask if they needed anything else before slipping away again.

"Wow. He's so fast and quiet," Cami said, scooting to the edge of the bed to tug off her shoes while Loki also began to undress.

"The servants are trained to be efficient, yet mostly stay unseen," Loki explained.

"Like spies," Cami noted.

Loki thought over the comparison. "Yes, I suppose."

"I guess I'll have to get used to having him around." Cami had stripped down to her underwear easily enough, but hesitated after that. "Are we sure he's gone?"

"He'll come around tomorrow after we're up to collect our clothes, unless we call for him before then."

Loki apparently had no qualms getting naked. He dropped his boxers on the pile of their clothes then reached around to unhook Cami's bra, which she clung to and refused to let drop.

"Why so shy?" he asked softly. "I thought the wine would make you less inhibited. Have you made yourself paranoid with your servants as spies analogy?"

"Maybe," Cami admitted with a touch of embarrassment.

Loki was probably teetering between exasperation and amusement as he led her into the bathroom where a wide bathtub of steaming water awaited them.

"That tub is way big," Cami said in awe. "We could fit at least a third person in there with us."

"Not tonight," Loki teased, as if she had been making a suggestion or request, which instantly made her think regrettably of her encounter with Bad Loki.

He climbed in, turned off the flowing taps and looked at her expectantly.

Cami shrugged off the straps and let the bra fall before sliding her panties down. There were thick, black rugs surrounding the tub and her tender feet were glad for the softness as she stepped forward off the stone flooring. She turned and hopped up to sit on the tub edge before swinging her legs up and over.

* * *

Loki loved to watch Cami move whether she was nude or not. Even when she was being self conscious there was an underlying grace, discipline and strength in her limbs that she probably didn't recognize. He assumed it had something to do with her dancing background.

She perched on the side of the tub with her feet dangling, giving him a few moments to admire her physical endowments in the glow given off by the fires that lit the room. Her long, hazelnut brown hair framed and partly concealed her beautiful breasts as the tresses tumbled across her smooth skin with every little move she made.

Loki took Cami's slim waist in his hands as she turned away and slipped down into the water. He helped her settle between his legs then pushed her hair out of the way so he could knead tension out of her back and shoulder muscles.

Cami groaned softly and leaned forward to rest her face on her raised knees.

When she was relaxed enough to his liking, Loki lathered her soft flesh with scented soap then rinsed her off in turn before laying her back against his chest and doing the same with her arms and front, giving her breasts special attention.

"I'm falling asleep," she warned him with a content hum to her words.

Loki slid his right hand down her abdomen between her slightly parted thighs, causing her to fidget a little as his fingers settled on her sex. "Will this help wake you up?" he whispered, giving her a caress.

She moaned agreeably as her legs fell open to allow him room for exploration.

Loki tickled her with slow, sweeping motions of his fingertips before moving deeper to stimulate the more tender flesh. He eased a finger inside of her, making slow circular motions while keeping his thumb working at her clitoris.

Cami moved his other hand off her stomach, resting it on her right breast as she arched up, pressing the nipple into his palm. She slid her hands down his legs, caressing his skin and curling her fingers around to get a loose grip near his knees as she moved her pelvis in rhythm with his ministrations.

Loki kept the stimulation slow, planning to ease her into an orgasm. He leaned down to capture her mouth in a probing kiss while he worked both sensitive areas with his hands. The combination was just what she needed as her breathing quickened and her body tensed in anticipation of release.

Then her skin suddenly felt much hotter against his. She broke the kiss with a cry of distress and tried to escape his hold.

A figure appeared beside them adding to the commotion. Loki barely caught a glimpse of Bad Loki before black tendrils ensnared and flipped them up and out of the tub.

He landed hard on the stone across the room, but managed to ignore the jolting pain to glance up and see Cami convulsing on the floor. Electricity crawled across her body like dozens of small white spiders, leaving red and black burns on her wet flesh.

"Are you an imbecile?" Bad Loki roared at him. He turned and approached Cami cautiously. He waited as she stopped moving and the electricity died down to random sparks that eventually dissipated.

Loki rushed over, getting down beside Cami as Bad Loki crouched too. He could see she was taking in breaths, but held his own in fearful anticipation. He was visibly trembling as he inspected the trails of nasty burns.

"Her power is affecting her body's innate electrical current. You could have killed her and seriously injured yourself in the water."

Then the double ventured to touch her face. "She'll live," he reported after torturous moments and rose back to his feet.

It was hard to do it, but Loki offered a soft, "Thanks," just the same. He had to acknowledge the lifesaving act - even if Bad Loki's reasons for intervening were presumably self serving.

The double's anger flared again as he said, "You tell Odin to find a solution to her problem or I will. I have been generous to allow you this freedom, but if you can't keep out of trouble, I WILL remove you both from S.H.I.E.L.D. and Odin's care."

"Leave her out of this," Loki pleaded.

"The choice is not mine."

Loki's desperation grew. He wanted so badly to understand. "Is this about Hel? What did she ask from you?"

"You'll have to ask her that yourself. I promised to be discrete."

"I'm surprised she trusts you at all."

The double's eyes narrowed. "Insulting me while I'm in this foul mood is not advisable." He opened a dimensional space and pulled a blood blade, holding it where Loki could see it. "Jahla can always use more blood, but it would be a pity for Cami's wounds to go untreated until morning when Igus discovers you both here unconscious in a pool of your blood."

The mention of Igus, brought him to his senses. Loki got up, hurrying through the suite to the entry. He yelled across the corridor for Igus, who stepped out of his own doorway seconds later.

"Cami is badly hurt. Summon the healers immediately... and the king."

Igus bowed and rushed off to follow his orders.

Loki pulled on his uniform pants and grabbed a robe from the bedroom. He was actually surprised to find Bad Loki still standing guard over Cami when he returned to the bathroom.

Afraid to move her, Loki draped the robe over Cami's body.

"I suggest you get her to a competent spirit mage," Bad Loki said coldly. "It's a reasonable place to start, I would think."

Loki didn't know how to respond. All this helpfulness was so out of character for him. "Odin will be coming. Are you leaving or staying?" he snapped.

The double sneered, eliciting a small, contemptuous growl in return before he disappeared.

* * *

Clint and Natasha were saying goodnight to the king and queen when an elderly man came rushing into their suite.

"Your majesties," he said in a gasping panic, "Lady Camille is seriously injured. I have called for healers, but Prince Loki is asking for you as well."

In a flash of light, Odin was gone.

"Come," Frigga said urgently to Clint and Natasha, dashing out into the corridor alongside the messenger.

After a mad dash through the hallways, they entered Loki's rooms to find Cami unconscious on the bathroom floor, surrounded by people who weren't as interested in concealing her nudity as examining the nasty burns that appeared to mark every part of her body.

Clint moved back to the bedroom where Odin had cornered Loki and appeared to be laying into him furiously.

"What happened?" Clint demanded as he drew near to them.

Loki looked absolutely sick with guilt and worry. When he hesitated to respond immediately, Odin answered for him, angrily exposing the couple's sexual escapade and the Bad Loki's fortunate intervention as they had been explained to him prior to Clint's arrival.

Clint didn't know if he was angrier with Loki's carelessness or Odin's lack of immediate attention to Cami's condition. Either way, words failed to form through the pounding in his head, which was actually making him feel a bit dizzy.

"My double suggested we take her to a practitioner of spirit magic," Loki said.

Odin looked surprised. "That's a good idea."

"Hel and Jahla are the only people I have ever met with that sort of power."

"There aren't many of them," Odin said. "In times past, both blood and spirit mages were often hunted down and murdered by those who felt they caused ailments and psychosis in others. Those were dark times with long lasting ramifications."

"Why does Bad Loki care?" Clint asked.

"Because it ruins his plans if she dies," Loki reminded him. "He is convinced he needs her for whatever his purpose."

"Perhaps Rosner has heard of another spirit mage in his travels," Odin said to Loki. "I will send him word of our need."

Clint didn't recognize the name. "Who is Rosner?"

"He is the Royal Inquisitor," Loki explained, "or the Spymaster, if you will."

"He was to report back to Asgard any day now to meet with you," Odin explained. "This should add some urgency to his return."

Frigga entered the bedroom from the bathroom, cradling Cami in a blanket that had been pulled from the bed. "We're taking her to the healing room," the queen said solemnly. "Give us some time to start the treatment and get her settled before visiting her." The elderly servant hurried ahead to get the doors. Natasha and the healers shuffled out behind Frigga.

"Clint, I'm so sorry," Loki said with true remorse. "My wits were not with me."

"I told you love is a dangerous distraction," Clint said. "Maybe you two should give it a rest for a while."

His expression turned angrier as Loki said, "Meaning what?"

"Hell if I know," Clint admitted. "Just do a better job protecting her."

Odin placed his hand on Loki's bare shoulder. "You can't live in the moment without considering the future consequences."

Clint could agree with that advice, but also wanted to convey to Loki that he wasn't going to hold a grudge once the initial shock wore off. "When I thought I'd lost her back in Naples, all my common sense left me too," he said. "She just has a way of getting in your head and messing you up."

"Indeed," Loki said with a tired, forlorn expression.


End file.
